The Financial Nanny

PLEASE Vote for Regarding Nannies!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:15:00 +0000

We at Regarding Nannies are very honored to be nominated for the 2011 Parents Best All Around Mom Blog.

The most exciting thing about this nomination is that it shares with everyone that there are positive things happening in the nanny industry, just not the "negative" media that is shown on the news. I have been one of the development team members of Regarding Nannies since we launched in July 2010. We have worked hard to bring people in the industry fresh content five days a week. We have daily categories: Monday Moxie, Tuesday Tips, Creative Nanny Wednesday, Table Talk Thursday and Financial Friday.

Voting is pretty simple. Click on the badge above. You can "register" via email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You do NOT have to have children to vote. Just choose other on the sign in form. You can choose not to receive any emails etc. I did that and have not received anything.

We would love it if you shared it with others too. Thank you so much for voting and sharing our blog with others!

Where have I have gone? Lots of links too!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 03:18:00 +0000

Sorry to have just disappeared on you! I have been pretty busy over at Regarding Nannies as one of the 4 Development Team Members. I am doing the Financial Fridays over there. So you can always find fun stuff over there. I have also added a Fan page on Facebook as well. I try to post some great deals as well over there.

Here is the link to join me over at Facebook at The Financial Nanny

To read some of the past Financial Friday articles over at Regarding Nannies see below:

Compensation: Gross Wages vs. Net (“Take-Home”) Pay

Nannies giving back to Tornado Victims in Springfield and Raleigh-Durham

Triple Play Friday: Mileage Rates, IRS Wage Smartphone App & Nannypalooza

Nannies and Petty Cash

Wanted or Unwanted: Credit Card offers, Emails etc

Money Saving Tips for Nannies & Families

Tax Tips in July?

Organizing your Finances

An Introduction to Disney Cruises

I hope to begin blogging again here real soon! I am going to a great event called Buzz Your Biz tomorrow to learn how to get the "buzz" for your biz!

Help Ryan Get An iPad!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:50:00 +0000

introduction by Alice Shaffer
I have been involved in the nanny profession for over 16 years. There have been some wonderful nannies who have done awesome things for others. Today I want to share with you a story of how the nanny community and those outside the nanny community are coming together to help a child affected with Burkitt's Lymphoma for almost a year now. I hope that you are able to help in some way, if not just reading this and giving positive thoughts for Ryan's recovery is great!

Let's Get Ryan an iPad!
by Charlotte Hilliker
As nannies it is only natural that we become attached to "our" kids. We are with them for many hours a week, feed them, care for them, and share in their ups and downs. We can't help but fall in love with them. Tara Lindsay is a nanny who loves the kids that she cares for. If you are friends with her on Facebook, you have no doubt had a chuckle or two at the stories she tells of her current charges. Her love for them is obvious. Her love for a previous charge - Ryan - is obvious, too.

Ryan's story can be found at www.ryanrocks.net, but the short version is this: Ryan is now a very sick little boy. He has been battling Burkitt's Lymphoma for almost a year now. Tara has often taken to Facebook to ask for prayers for Ryan. She has shared updates of his condition, and even helped organize a fundraiser to raise money for his medical expenses.

In March, Ryan's family received news that he was in the clear, medically. In May, he was back in the hospital fighting for his life. This poor little 7 year old boy has spent the last year in and out of hospitals.

We (the nanny community) are trying to raise money to buy Ryan an iPad. He needs things that improve his hand strength and dexterity, not to mention things to distract him and keep him busy as he is stuck in bed quite often. The goal is $850, which would buy him the largest WiFi iPad available, a case, and a $50 iTunes gift card to get him started.
If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please email me at phillychar (at) gmail (dot) com for information. We are trying to get this surprise to him as soon as possible, so please hurry! Don't worry if you don't have much to give. This is a case where literally every bit helps. If every nanny reading this gives just $5, we will surpass our goal in no time.

Thank you in advance for your kindness, Charlotte Hilliker

Budget and Money Talk

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:22:00 +0000

We are entering the second quarter of 2011 today. Have you been on top of your budget? Have you reached any of your financial goals for 2011? I can honestly say that my budget has slipped just like the spring weather has disappeared for the past week! It is rainy, sleety and snowy here in the Washington DC area. I know that my calendar said it was spring on March 20, 2011, but the weather does not.

courtesy of http://www.deborahowens.com

Back to budget and money talk. How are you on staying on budget? If the answer is yes-Congratulations! If the answer is no-don't worry there is time! The best part is that you can start your budget any day of the year. There is no rhyme or reason.

This past weekend I attended the Get Radical Conference in Washington DC that featured the wonderful Deborah Owens, Rhonda Britten, Ali Brown, Jillian Michaels, Niecy Nash as well as Doreen Rainey. The day was filled with so many a-ha moments, resonating thoughts, and words of wisdom. Deborah Owens, is a wealth coach and has "A Purse of Your Own" financial program. She is empowering women to be financial empowered on their journey to being financially wealthy. I am very excited to begin this program.

courtesy of http://frugalfabulousfinds.blogspot.com

While I am in the beginning stages of reading Deborah's books and getting set up, I wanted to share with you all a blog that I have found useful. Frugal Fabulous Finds is a blog that shares Couponing 101, and Budgeting 101. Make sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter as well. She has some great deals for couponing. What I found today was her tips on budgeting and using the envelope system. Pretty much everyone knows that Dave Ramsey is known for his envelope system, and I even shared some about it before. Well Wendy shares her envelope system and how she used her rewards from Staples to help get her started. I am setting up my own envelope system this weekend based on her budgeting posts.

I am attaching three links to Wendy's posts on budgets-how to create one, her financial goals for 2011, and the envelope system update. (click on the line to be taken to the post)

TIPSTER TUESDAY - SIMPLEST WAY TO CREATE A BUDGET FOR BEGINNERS

F INANCIAL GOALS FOR 2011-MY PERSONAL LIST-HAVE YOU MADE YOURS?

ENVELOPE SYSTEM BUDGET UPDATE-MONTH 2 ACCOUNTABILITY

The internet is a wonderful place where tons of "free" resources are available. We all have our style of learning and doing. By utilizing the internet to read and research things we are able to formulate the best "program" that will help us achieve our goals -financially, personally and professionally.

I don't think I have found the "perfect for me" budgeting system but I can't wait to explore Deborah Owen's "Purse of Her Own" and start making financial goals for the 2nd quarter of 2011 based on the suggestions from Wendy.

Smartphones, Toddlers, Teens and Money

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:51:00 +0000

I am one of the development team members of Regarding Nannies and each Friday I bring our readers "Financial Friday". I love sharing various things about "financial" aspects that occur in our lives.

Here are two of my past Financial Fridays

Do you need a Smartphone?

Money Skills from Toddlers to Teens

Want to see Matthew McConaughey for $6?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 01:39:00 +0000

Then you need to make sure you head over to Groupon and grab one of the movie tickets for "The Lincoln Lawyer" before tomorrow when they end the giveaway. I am going to pick up two of these tickets for my Grandma and my Aunt to go see this movie. My Grandma loves Matthew McConaughey!

The Fine Print

Limit 2 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. Valid for a single ticket to any showing of "The Lincoln Lawyer" available through Fandango. Not valid for IMAX or 3D showings.Not valid with other offers. No cash value. Use is subject to Fandango'sterms of use. See the rules that apply to all deals.

this post does contain affiliate links

What "financial" choices will you make?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0000

I posted over on Regarding Nannies today for the Financial Friday post, here is a little snippet of it...

There it was staring me in the face “Wasted Time & Wasted Money Or Is It? I really enjoyed doing that post. Remembering that “financial, wealth, and money” doesn’t necessarily mean “money” but can be something “non materialistic” or “emotionally” fulfilling. What is even better was that I was questioning my time earlier tonight as I was “tweeting” in a chat with some bloggers. I was “procrastinating” writing the article for today’s post, but what I ended up finding was an incredible blogging connection with a blogger that will be able to help guide me in a direction that I was searching for some answers to. Technically I was “wasting time” by not doing my blog post, but I didn’t “waste time” finding connections for things I needed assistance in.

To read the rest of the article visit: Time, Money, Scholarships and Choices

Charlie Sheen, Medical Deductions and Taxes?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 06:30:00 +0000

Did you know that rehab services are tax deductible medical expenses? I ran across this post from Don't Mess with Taxes titled: Tax note to Charlie Sheen: rehab costs are a deductible medical expense. It is really a good take on medical deductions along with a few laughs.

This brings up the fact that it is tax time and most people still haven't filed their taxes yet. I wrote an article last year on Medical Expenses and how I used them for my 2009 taxes. Do you itemize your medical expenses? Did you know that you can ask your pharmacist to run your "2010" expenses. This helps greatly when figuring out your prescriptions. I have "reports" from my dentist, chiropractor and pharmacy. I also have my receipts from my eye exam and my new glasses I had to buy.

The other evening a friend's husband had asked me about using Turbotax for my taxes. They had always used an accountant, but wanted to try online this year. I have been using TurboTax for the last 6 years probably. Twice I used an accountant because I was involved in the direct sales business, and wanted assistance. I reminded the husband that medical expenses are deductible like the hospital expenses for their child that was born and dental expenses that they had incurred in 2010. I gave him the link to the IRS publication 502. He was thankful for the advice and the links. The great thing I was sharing with him was that I have found that Turbotax asks the various questions and you answer them and input your numbers. Turbotax does all the work for you internally. You also don't have to pay until you file your taxes with the version I use from my credit union, which is fantastic.

Would you like your Nanny Conference Fee to be Awarded?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:50:00 +0000

I am so happy to announce that once again RegardingNannies is sponsoring a A Conference Scholarship to the 2011 INA Nanny Conference Pop over there and get to writing your essay about "Why you want to go to the INA conference and how you feel going will help you improve your skills as a professional nanny?"

A few years ago, I entered an essay scholarship for the INA conference from a group of nannies and I was so excited to be chosen! Honestly the only thing stopping you is you! Just take some time to write the essay of 400-500 words. Make sure to spell check it!

I hope to see you in Tampa and so does my Regarding Nannies Development team member Glenda! She shares why here: Meet Me In Tampa!

5 DVD rentals for $2! Awesome!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 15:49:00 +0000

How about some movies that will cost you 40 cents each to rent! Over on Groupon they have 5 Blockbuster Express rentals for just $2!

If you’re new to Groupon, sign up here
Or head directly to the Blockbuster Express deal (under Atlanta)

Not sure if there is a Blockbuster Express near you? Go here to find one! Blockbuster Express Kiosk .

Enjoy your movie watching!

Credit Cards and How They Can Be Useful At Times

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 06:55:00 +0000

Once upon a time, I collected credit cards before I became a nanny. I know silly but hey I had some of the "prettiest" credit cards on the block. I have whittled that list of cards down to four now. I have been foolish with them at times, but I am in a healthy place with credit cards now. It took a while but as a banker once told me-you have debt but credit companies don't like you because you pay on time.

The ones I have now are an American Express Blue Cash and a Visa Fidelity Investments card. Plus another MasterCard and American Express. These credit cards are paid off monthly. The balances are not carried over monthly. I think that if you have to have a credit card you might as well get as "much bang for your buck."

For the Fidelity Investments I receive $75 on my Fidelity Investments IRA for every $5000 spent on the card. To me this is awesome payback for the times that the place I am using credit doesn't take American Express. I have my health insurance and some other reoccurring bills sent here so that I can reap the "rewards" for my IRA. This card is then paid off monthly.

The American Express Blue Cash is awesome for all of my purchases that I make throughout the year. I get "cash back" on my June statement. To me it is like a summer bonus. I get a Christmas Bonus from work in December, a tax refund in March or April and then in the summer the cash back. I get a "payout" of money three times a year. Which is nice.

This brings me to today's Financial Friday. I read STL Mommy post's titled: Credit Card Rewards: How Does Your Card Measure Up? If you are interested in getting a credit card that has some true financial benefits to you and your credit usage, then check out the post. Making sure that you use the credit cards responsibly and do not go into credit card debt. They should be paid off monthly. Kim shares five credit cards that have some great reward programs for using them.

Also STL Mommy is a great blog that shares some great money saving deals daily on various products and services.

Interested in 100 Ways to Save Money?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:21:00 +0000

courtesy of www.24savvy.com

I ran across this wonderful blog post from 24/Savvy about 100 ways to save money. Really? I had thought. But I began reading and was completely falling in love with some of the ways they suggest. They have put the list together in the following categories: Fashion, Beauty & Health, Travel, Dining Out & Entertainment, Food, Home, Money & Banking, and Family & Charity. Being a nanny I do try saving a lot of the times with my work purchases as well as my personal purchases. This list really is helping in more saving for work and home.

I hope that some of the ways help you be savvy in your money saving. These are 5 of my favorites from the list. Don't forget to share on their post what your "ways to save" are.

73. If you're drying a small laundry load, cut your dryer sheets in half for extra savings.
70. If you typically only use half of a sticky note, cut the pad in two and you’ll get more bang for your Post-It buck.
63. Set up a Skype account for all overseas calls and consider using it instead of keeping a landline.
49. Join free loyalty programs at all the stores near you and keep an eye out for the best deals in the weekly advertising circulars.
41. Skip the movies and get DVDs from the library or $1 kiosks like Redbox or Blockbuster. Use Netflix only if you’re using up your paid quota.

100 Savvy Ways to Save Money

So you may be wondering who 24/Savvy is:

24/SAVVY is about living the smartest, most creative life possible with whatever we’ve got on hand. It’s about doing fabulously more with what we have—even when it’s a little bit less than what we want. 24/Savvy is a new mindset; it's trading off, not down, it's turning the ordinary into something extraordinary, it's the art of living the good life for less, no matter what we’ve got in our bank account.

Missing W-2s This Tax Season?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:21:00 +0000

Being a professional nanny for the past 15 years has been a wonderful career choice. I am happy to say that my jobs have all been "on the books" and I have always gotten my W-2 forms each January for taxes. Unfortunately not all nannies are as lucky as I have been. Breedlove & Associates have shared an article over at Regarding Nannies on what to do if you don't get a W-2 form. I hope this is helpful for you if you find yourself in this place.

What to Do if You Didn’t Get a W-2 from Your Employer

INA Conference: How Can I Afford to Go?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:02:00 +0000

by Alice Shaffer

Many of you know that I love SmartyPig, and how I used them to save for the 2010 International Nanny Association Annual Conference. As a professional nanny saving money is important to me. SmartyPig is a free online savings tool that allows you to save for specific financial goals. I have used them primarily for the INA Conference. I wanted to reintroduce you to them again and how setting up “goals” on Smartypig can “work” for you for this year’s conference. I am even going to be giving away $25 to someone’s SmartyPig goal that sets one up. See end of the post for details.

The simple details for the Conference:

International Nanny Association

26th Annual Conference

May 12 - 15, 2011

Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay - Tampa, Florida

Complete details to be released early March on the INA website.

Become a fan of theirs on Facebook and view the Events Page and The Notes page for details on workshops, hotel reservations and conference costs.

New this year:

· Members who joined INA after June 1, 2010 and who have never attended an Annual Conference are eligible to take 50% off their conference registration.

· Newborn Care Specialist track of workshops.

Now how does SmartyPig help you save money for the Conference? Very simply put by setting up unique goals for attending the conference. I have two goals set up right now that were started in May 2010, yes that is correct before last year’s conference.

First thing up is figuring out how much money you need for the conference. There are many factors in figuring this “price tag”. This includes: conference fee, hotel costs and airfare. You will have incidentals such as cab/shuttle fees, spending money and the few meals that you will need to pay for. You get a Thursday night cocktail reception, Friday Breakfast, Friday Lunch, Saturday Breakfast, Saturday Lunch and a Saturday evening closing reception with your conference fee.

Two of these are fixed expenses: Membership Fee ($35 for nannies) and the Early Bird Conference Fee ($295 has been the past fee for early bird rates for members, you have been able to get a 10% discount for going with a group, or first time attendee). There has also been an optional outing normally that is about $30 in the past. I get the reduced conference fee of 10% off due to being a member of ADCAN and having 5 or more members present at the conference. I save $300 for the conference fee/optional outing.

No matter what the "price tag" of a conference is for you to attend, you are investing in your education and future. Sometimes it seems like the "price tag" is more expensive than others or out of reach, but you must remember to invest in yourself. Determine what your "opportunity cost" is for education in the nanny field for yourself. Hopefully SmartyPig will give you the opportunity to attend the INA conference.

The hotel is at the lovely Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in Florida at $117 a night with 12% tax (max 4 people to a room) This brings one night to $131.04 ($117 + $14.04 tax) This rate is good for three days before the conference and three days after.

Here is the tally of the expenses I have for a returning Nanny Member:

$35 Nanny Membership Fee (from December renewals-December 31, 2010)

$ 265.50 for Early Bird Conference Fee (including 10% discount-$29.50) opens in March 2011

$40.00(estimated cost based on past) optional Friday evening outing if one -payments accepted with registration

$262.08 for the Hotel stay (Wed-Sunday- with ONE roommate-$524.16 total) due 5/11/11

$300 for the airfare due 3/1/10

Total needed is: $868.30 not including Membership fee.

If you are a NEW member and NEVER attended a conference before here is your breakdown:

$35 Membership Fee (if new member)

$ 147.50 for Early Bird Conference Fee (including 50% discount-$147.50)

$40.00(estimated cost based on past) optional Friday evening outing if one -payments accepted with registration

$262.08 for the Hotel stay (Wed-Sunday- with ONE roommate-$524.16 total) due 5/11/11

$300 for the airfare due 3/1/10

Total needed is: $784.58 including Membership fee.

Note that agencies and staff all pay the same conference fee as long as they are members of INA. There is a non member conference fee. They can also take advantage of the 50% off registration fee if they are new and never attended as well. So please encourage your agencies to come.

I am going to go into how to set up a SmartyPig account and get your goals set up. After that I will show you my goals and how they are being met and how I will “cash” them out in the coming weeks.

Steps to Reaching SmartyPig Goals!

I have been a customer since 2009 and have ZERO trouble moving or getting my money. Their customer service is awesome. They are FDIC insured for up to $250,000. You are allowed to set up as many goals as you need to

Let’s get started in setting up your SmartyPig goals.

In order to start at SmartyPig, you need the following:

· State issued ID (or driver’s license)

· Social Security Number

· Current address (plus previous address if you’ve moved in the last two years)

· Email address

· Birth date

· Phone number

· Checking or savings account information to fund SmartyPig

· Sign up for an account at SmartyPig

You need at least $25 to begin funding your account. Your maximum is $250,000. Once you have everything set up, you enter your goals. Then, you can fund your account with money from checking or savings. Linking your bank accounts to SmartyPig is simple. You can connect multiple financial banking accounts. To begin though, all you need is a regular checking or savings account already set up somewhere else, and you are on your way to meeting your financial goals.

Your Savings Goal – The next step you are required to create an actual savings goal for your money. This is one reason SmartyPig is different from other financial savings accounts. This will help you visual and achieve your financial goals. This is what the beginning of a goal setting page looks like:

You need to include your goal dollar amount, due date, funding source (checking or savings account), and how often you will be putting money in your goal. SmartyPig can suggest how much to have “drafted” to your goal based on the funding frequency you choose. See picture above for choices. You can adjust the amount taken out monthly by increasing your initial deposit or making your goal date much longer. To get an affordable withdrawal amount for the say the first two months, you can play around with the end goal date. You can change your goal end date/amount at anytime. You can stop your goal at anytime as well without penalty. You can also choose to just set up a goal and fund it with the initial $25 and do nothing more. This might be helpful if you have the money already to meet a goal and want to use your goal to get a “best in class retail card” as noted below.

Reaching your goal:

You have everything set up now with your goals. Now it is time for your automatic drafts to do their magic and make your goals grow. Are you interested in getting some “funding” from others? Then there is the option for you to share your goals on your favorite social networking site, like Facebook.

I want my money!

You can stop at anytime and withdraw your funds by stopping your goals. So how do you get your funds once your reach your goal? The chart below shows you the three basic ways to withdraw your funds once you’ve achieved your savings goals: ACH Transfer, Retail Gift cards or Debit Card. I have done all three of them with last year’s goals and it is awesome!

Here is why I love Smartypig:

1. Currently, SmartyPig offers 1.35 % APY, which is more than you will get at a lot of online and offline financial institutions,:

2. The ability for friends and family to contribute to your goals. This is great for when your bosses want to give you a bonus or a relative wants to give you money for a holiday or birthday gift.

3. The cash bonus you receive when you withdraw your savings to a retail card/best in class retailer.

The cash bonus allows you to get more from your goals when you take advantage of retail gift cards. If you withdraw $600 to a retail gift card, you receive a bonus of up to 14%; you could end up with $60 extra. That’s free money on your gift card! Retailers include Macy’s, Amazon, Best Buy, Travelocity, iTunes and more. Best yet HYATT pays a 5% bonus. So my hotel goal of $300 will be worth $315 on a Hyatt Gift Card when I close it out. That $15 could mean a free meal in the restaurant. Just for choosing to put my goal money on the gift card. Make sure to check out the lists of retail cards available because airlines are included etc.

4. The Smart Rewards Card: It is preloaded with money you fund to it. The key here is that it gives you back up to 10% on your purchases at certain retailers for basically using your own money. The bonus 10% goes towards your goals! How cool is that. My card actually came in the mail today. I will be using it this weekend. I have preloaded it with half of my “spending” money for the month. I will use this card to make reaching my goals faster by getting money back on my daily purchases. National Retailers will be coming in 2011.

Here are my current Goals for the 2011 Conference that I started in May 2010 and the amounts/dates that are taken out. This is so you can see how it will accumulate once you get deposits made etc.

2011 INA Conference Fee Goal

2011 INA Hotel Goals

Now for the details on how you can win $25 to your own personal SmartyPig Goal Account.

1. Email me at thefinancialnanny (at) gmail (dot)com with Smartypig in the subject and give me your name and email address for a SmartyPig invite to be sent to you.

2. Sign up for Smartypig through the invite that I send to you by February 25, 2011.

3. Send me a link to your SmartyPig Goal to the email above so that I can verify that you did indeed sign up for SmartyPig.

4. I will choose a random number via random.org for the winner.

5. I will announce by Monday February 27, 2011 the winner. Deposit to your account will be made that week once I get the information from you to make the deposit.

Credit Reports: Did You Know?

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 05:27:00 +0000

Did you know? AnnualCreditReport is the OFFICIAL site to help consumers to obtain their FREE credit report from the big three, TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Sorry, no catchy jingle here but this is THE website you should use. You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months or if you are denied credit. Not your score but your report. In my opinion, you do not need to pay to get your score. I would not waste your money and here is why….in the big picture, all 3 credit reporting agencies use slightly different scoring models and if you apply for a mortgage loan the score is different than if you apply for a consumer type loan like for a car or credit card. Also believe it or not, scores given to you the consumers are different than the ones given to a lender…..strange but true. SO save that money, it doesn’t really matter that much.

Do you know why lenders use credit scores? I just told you that your score is not important but I guess it is to the lender. Have you ever heard Dr. Phil says “Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior” Well, that holds true for a credit. How someone has paid their bills in the past is a good predictor of how they will in the future. Not always true but it takes time to rebuild your credit if you have had some financial setbacks. These days, scores are used for pricing the loan. This means that the better your score the lower your interest rate or the lower your score the higher your interest rate. Not always fair but it’s the standard system for most lenders.

Did you know? MyFico.com is a great resource for all things credit score. I highly recommend you go to the education section and understand what things impact your score. Knowledge is power!

About the Author:

Mary C is currently working in a credit union and has worked for various credit unions or companies dealing with credit unions, since “She was ready for a grown up job” in 1992 (thanks Dad). Except for 6 years, when I was home with my boys. I am not an expert on anything but I know some things from a lenders point of view that just may help you as a consumer! Look for some more insider tips from Mary C in the future on The Financial Nanny

2011 INA Annual Conference Announcements

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:56:00 +0000

Call For Workshop Proposals

Are you interested in presenting a workshop at the 2011 INA Annual Conference?

Do you know someone that would be an excellent speaker for our event?

Do you have expertise in a topic you think our conference attendees would benefit from learning about?

Email admin@nanny.org for a 2011 INA Annual Conference workshop proposal form.

New Members after June 1, 2010

INA members who joined INA after June 1, 2010 and have never been to an INA Annual Conference receive 50% off of 2011 INA Annual Conference registration!

Join now

Networking, Suze Orman, Admitting You Have Debt and Credit Unions

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:37:00 +0000

I began this financial blog to help professional nannies develop budgets, find ways to get to nanny conferences and find awesome deals while shopping and travel. I knew along the way I would be sharing my own personal experiences about my debt and how I am getting out of it. Through this blog I have discovered an incredible world out there in the inter-webs! I didn't realize how I would be involved with those in the blogging world as financial bloggers, mommy bloggers, those who are brand ambassadors and the many others I have met via Facebook, Twitter, BloggyBootCamp or their blogs.

The one basic thing I have come to learn is that we all learn something from each other through networking. Networking is such a "wealthy" asset to all of us no matter what career we are involved with. Networking often doesn't require tangible money to be exchanged between parties. This is what led me to today's post how my networking over the past year has lead me to financial decisions and getting out of debt.

Today I was listening to The View and my favorite person, Suze Orman was on there. Suze was talking about buying gold as a great thing to invest in right now because it is cheap. The next question was regarding if you are in debt right now. Her response was what has stuck with me throughout the day. "Admit you have debt. Yell it, tell your friends, admit you are a financial liar etc" This brought up to me how many of us are financial liars? I must confess listening to Suze today, I am a "Financial Liar". I go on trips, buy clothes, gifts and do fun things all while appearing to have no financial debt. This doesn't make me a bad person nor you. It just means that the definition of debt has not been clarified for us and our networks. I pay my debt down, I am what my banker called me years ago the person credit card companies hate. I pay my bills on time and don't go over the limit etc. Sure I have credit card debt. I have admitted that. What I need to do is step up and be more active in my War Against Debt!

Now where do I start or even you start in admitting to the debt we owe? Start with examining your budget and reviewing things. Way back I started a series on developing a budget. Today is October 1,2010 three months to the end of 2011. I want to be financially more healthy by the close of this year then I started. 2010 with so I am revisiting these posts:

Now if you have credit cards, stop using them and start paying them off. Suze mentions that the best place to have a credit card these days is a Credit Union. Why because they can't charge you more than 19% interest. So when you are paying your monthly amount it goes towards your balance and not to some crazy high interest rate of 26% or higher. She suggests looking at the site Credit Card Connection to find a credit union in your area.

Make sure to check out Suze's appearance on The View for a quick 3 and half minute segment.

So will you join me on this 3 month journey to end 2010 in a financially better position then what we started off on January 1, 2010?

Sigg Bottle: Pay Shipping Only! or $15 Credit!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 06:32:00 +0000

Interested in getting a 1liter Sigg Bottle for $7.95? Offer expires at 10am EST on Saturday September 25!

Not interested in a Sigg Bottle, then what about a Built Laptop case? Vera Wang China? Don't worry there are many more deals to be! Including getting $15 in credits just for signing up!

Visit the Regarding Nannies: Financial Friday for all the details!

Financial Friday: Lunchskins

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:14:00 +0000

Financial Friday: Lunchskins
by Alice Shaffer
The Financial Nanny

Several months ago on Jasmere , the deal of the day was Lunchskins. Lunchskins are these awesome reusable sandwich and snack bags. Everyone has been talking about going green. So when the deal came up on Jasmere for 4 of these Lunchskins for $15 I jumped at the chance to try them out. I was also excited that the company had been started by 3 moms wanting to rid the landfills of plastic sandwich bags. They shared on the site how they got started:

While sitting around a kitchen table in 2008, we heard a staggering statistic – every day, more than 20 million sandwich bags from school lunches go into landfills in the US. We knew that many families were looking for easy, convenient ways to be green and avoid this kind of waste. So we put our passion and energy together and 3greenmoms was born. Our mission – to design a colorful, fresh alternative to the plastic baggie.

As professional nannies, many of us are packing lunches and snacks for our charges. By using reusable BPA free products you are reducing waste in the landfills. My kids get their lunches at school, so I found other ways to use these lunchskins in my life. Recently I was traveling to the west coast, I used the snack sized bag for my gum, mentos, and lifesavers. Another snack lunchskins was used for my 2 thumbdrives and wireless mouse. The sandwich sized one was used for my “cords” (ipod cord, cell charger, earphones etc). I also received a dozen See’s lollipops and they fit perfectly in the sandwich bag! My sister in law has one now for my nephews pacifiers for the diaper bag.

To read the rest of the article and to get a great coupon code for 20% off please visit

Regarding Nannies: Financial Friday: Lunchskins

Financial Friday: Fighting Debt Is Like Fighting A War So I Read

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:27:00 +0000

Financial Friday: Fighting Debt Is Like Fighting A War So I Read
by Alice Shaffer

As I was preparing this Financial Friday I sat beside a stack of my bills and an unfinished budget for the month of September. The holidays are almost here! It is 113 days till Christmas. Insanity! It was just here it seems! This year I add a brand new nephew to the purchases :) I decided to look at some of the financial blogs I frequent for inspiration. I ran into The Financial Samurai, one I have never been to before, but the title of the guest blog was Sun Tzu's Art of War Applied to Your Battle Against Debt . I was hooked into reading the post. Now let me tell you history has never been a subject of interest for myself, but I wanted to know how my personal debt was like a battle in a war! Simon Zhen from The Realm of Prosperity was the guest writer of this awesome post.

You may be questioning my reasoning on sharing this with you all. Here is why I wanted to share this post with you debt isn't all about the dollars and cents, it is mental as well. This post really opened my eyes and my thinking up to how debt is a mental game. We don't want to lose battles we want to win no matter the battle or war. I am in the process of preparing my 4th quarter war of my debt for 2010. This has helped me get "mentally" in the game of my debt to finish out the year on a solid good note. I hope it speaks to you as well in some fashion.

Make sure to visit Simon's blog along with The Financial Samurai's blog for more information on finances. I am so happy to share this with you all!

Here is some of the blog post:

Sun Tzu’s Art of War Applied to Your Battle Against Debt

“Every battle is won before it is ever fought.”

This was the infamous line said by Gordon Gekko in the popular 1987 film Wall Street. Derived from Sun Tzu’sArt of War, a 2400-year-old Chinese text on military strategy, the teachings of this tactical mastermind have proven useful in various aspects of present-day life besides warfare.

Although Sun Tzu’s Art of War is studied most religiously by military commanders, political leaders, and corporate executives, the concepts are scalable to conflicts as minuscule as your struggle with debt. Like in war, where the objective is to overcome the enemy resistance, it is everyone’s goal to conquer their personal debt.

Debt is the bad guy. We are the good guys. The road to financial independence is a righteous path where we’ll have multiple encounters with debt – a merciless obstacle that seeks to consume us. Luckily, an old man from many many years ago jotted down some powerful advice that may serve the purpose of securing a victory against debt.

Universal Debt Teachings

Debt is, without a doubt, a dangerous adversary. A vast majority of the American population acknowledges the risks of carrying debt, yet we peacefully welcome it into our lives. The failure to understand the depth of the matter is a major reason that so many of us become victims of debt.

We must remain cognizant of the responsibilities of debt:

It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. [Laying Plans: #2]

Thus it may be known that the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people’s fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril. [Waging War: #20]

Personal debt is influential in more than just our financial lives – it can alter lifestyles, sway career decisions, destroy relationships, and disrupt any sense of stability and comfort. Take it seriously because it truly could be a matter of life or death to not only yourself but also everyone around you.

make sure you go to

The Financial Samurai

to read the rest of this great history lesson and post on debt and war!

Financial Friday: Get Some Cash For Your Overstock!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:39:00 +0000

Financial Friday: Get Some Cash For Your Overstock!
by Alice Shaffer

One of my Financial Nanny readers, Cheryl J of CA, sent me an article titled "Turn Trash Into Cash". First off i am so excited that my readers are sending me articles and things to pass along to others. That is what a Financial Savvy person is all about. Sharing your information with others.

As the kids are going back to school and you are switching out the summer clothes to fall clothes, check out other things they have outgrown this summer. Here are some great ways to "cash" in on those items that are no longer needed. The kids can also "sell" their outgrown clothes and video games as well to get more cash for new items they want.

"Turn Trash Into Cash" is from the September 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping.

-Play It Again Sports: buys your outgrown or never used sporting equipment for CASH. For details on how they buy things from you please visit this page for more details.

-GameStop: buys your video games that your kids and you no longer play.

-Plato's Closet: buys your teen's clothes and accessories.

-Music Go Round: purchases your unused musical instruments.

-Radio Shack Trade & Save Program: trade in your working electronics for a gift card to Radio Shack. Great way to upgrade those electronics laying around the house

-My Boneyard: recycles certain electronics. You can get a "reward" if there is one available. Shipping is free for you to recycle your product via My Boneyard.

You can also sell things online as well at Ebay and Craigslist.

Good luck with finding new homes for your items! Plan something fun with the money you get from "thinning" out the house of the items you sold.

Financial Hot Deal! $4 movie ticket Hurry!

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:27:00 +0000

A Great Movie Deal for $4!

I found out today that Groupon, has a deal with Fandango for a $4 movie ticket (up to a $12 value).

Here is the tiny print details:

Expires Feb. 28, 2011.
Limit 1 per person.
Must register Fandango account.
Valid for 1 ticket worth up to $12.
Not valid for IMAX or 3D movies.
Not for resale.
No cash back.

So how do you get this awesome deal?

Sign up for Groupon or sign in if you already have one.
Get a Fandango account or sign in if you have one already.
Then go to this page for the Fandango Movie Deal
Send out your Groupon link to others along with the Fandango deal
Plan a movie night out with girlfriends, friends or family etc.
Go to your Groupon "my stuff" & "my groupons" tab after 24 hrs and you can grab your code for Fandango
Go to Fandango and purchase your ticket to your next movie!
Go to a Regal Cinema between August 27-29 get a Free Small Popcorn
Enjoy!

By signing up via Groupon I do receive a "referral" of $10. This is to be used in future purchases on Groupon.

Thank you to Coupons and Freebies Mom for the heads up!

Financial Friday: Freebies Can Be Found Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 06:15:00 +0000

Financial Friday: Freebies Can Be Found Everywhere

by Alice Shaffer

One of the things I like the most about being “The Financial Nanny” is sharing fun monetary information with my readers. Monetary information can come in many forms as it is just not about money. We often equate money with finances-credit cards, life insurance and IRAs/401ks. Monetary information also pertains to how you can utilize a service or product for its’ full monetary value. You do not need to buy everything at 100% to get a full monetary value. Often times there are discounts, buy one get one free and free products/services that are full of monetary value.

To read the rest of the article please visit Regarding Nannies: Financial Friday

Financial Friday: Freebies Can Be Found Everywhere

Financial Friday: Topics In A Car Agreement

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 06:15:00 +0000

Financial Friday: Topics in a Car Agreement

Vehicles are expensive. Beyond the cost of the car, there are regular maintenance costs and let’s not forget gasoline. Today over on the CincyNanny blog, Greta discusses some “Topics in a Car Agreement” giving some of the basics things to discuss with an employer. Enjoy!

High5 Friday: Topics in a Car Agreement

Transportation is a key part of a nanny’s care for children. There are several options that a nanny and family may decide on as to how transportation is handled and is likely discussed during the interview/contract process. Some families may provide a car for the nanny to drive during work hours. Others may require a nanny to have their own reliable transportation that is suitable for the children.

Nannies should strive to provide a safe environment for children and take the necessary precautions for the possibility of an emergency.

When I first started my current job, it was decided that the family would provide a car for me to drive the triplets as they got older. The were 9 months when I started and it wasn’t practical and manageable for me to be taking big field trips, alone, as the winter was approaching….

Read the complete article here: CincyNanny’s High5 Firday: Topics in a Car Agreement

Financial Friday: Job Search Expenses

noreply@blogger.com (The Financial Nanny) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Job Search Expenses

Compliments of Breedlove & Associates, written specially for Regarding Nannies

Can any of my job search expenses be taken off my income taxes?

There are several job search expenses that can be deducted if the expenses exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. Some examples of job search expenses include:

To read the rest of the article please visit Regarding Nannies:

Financial Friday: Job Search Expenses

The Financial Nanny

PLEASE Vote for Regarding Nannies!

Where have I have gone? Lots of links too!

Help Ryan Get An iPad!

Budget and Money Talk

Smartphones, Toddlers, Teens and Money

Want to see Matthew McConaughey for $6?

The Fine Print

What "financial" choices will you make?

Charlie Sheen, Medical Deductions and Taxes?

Would you like your Nanny Conference Fee to be Awarded?

5 DVD rentals for $2! Awesome!

Credit Cards and How They Can Be Useful At Times

Interested in 100 Ways to Save Money?

Missing W-2s This Tax Season?

INA Conference: How Can I Afford to Go?

Credit Reports: Did You Know?

2011 INA Annual Conference Announcements

INA members who joined INA after June 1, 2010 and have never been to an INA Annual Conference receive 50% off of 2011 INA Annual Conference registration!

Networking, Suze Orman, Admitting You Have Debt and Credit Unions

Sigg Bottle: Pay Shipping Only! or $15 Credit!

Financial Friday: Lunchskins

Financial Friday: Lunchskins by Alice Shaffer The Financial Nanny

Financial Friday: Fighting Debt Is Like Fighting A War So I Read

Financial Friday: Get Some Cash For Your Overstock!

Financial Hot Deal! $4 movie ticket Hurry!

Financial Friday: Freebies Can Be Found Everywhere

Financial Friday: Freebies Can Be Found Everywhere

by Alice Shaffer

Financial Friday: Topics In A Car Agreement

High5 Friday: Topics in a Car Agreement

Financial Friday: Job Search Expenses

Job Search Expenses

Compliments of Breedlove & Associates, written specially for Regarding Nannies

Can any of my job search expenses be taken off my income taxes?

There are several job search expenses that can be deducted if the expenses exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. Some examples of job search expenses include:

Financial Friday: Lunchskins
by Alice Shaffer
The Financial Nanny