2011 INA Annual Conference Announcements

>> Monday, November 22, 2010

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!

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

>> Friday, October 1, 2010

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!

>> Friday, September 24, 2010

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

>> Friday, September 10, 2010

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

>> Friday, September 3, 2010

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!

>> Friday, August 27, 2010

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!

>> Wednesday, August 25, 2010

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

>> Sunday, August 22, 2010

Financial Friday: Freebies Can Be Found Everywhere

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

>> Friday, August 20, 2010

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

>> Friday, August 6, 2010

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

Financial Friday: Tax Free Shopping Is Here!

>> Friday, July 30, 2010

Financial Friday: Tax Free Holidays Are Here!

by Alice Shaffer

Over the past several years I keep hearing about "tax free shopping weekend" around the first weekend of August. It pertains to saving money on back to school supplies like pencils and erasers. I have taken advantage of it in the past by mistake if I happen to be at a store that weekend and get some supplies. You probably are looking for some new outfits, socks, underwear and shoes for the kids too-don't worry they are included as well. The really cool thing is that I have noticed that it includes computers that are of a certain dollar amount. This could be great if you are looking for a cheap laptop or netbook that you want to pick up on the fly. I wish I had remembered this back in May when I purchased my netbook.

Of course not every state participates in the "tax free holiday" shopping but a nice handful does. Make sure to check for the details for your state. Start looking at your coupons now for items so that you can get the most bang for your buck. Look at combining your gift cards and reward credits to the stores to save even more money. I have like $18 in Staples Rewards checks that will be very helpful come next weekend when I go and get some office supplies.

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

Tax Free Holidays Are Here!

Financial Friday: Where To Find Deals on Eating Out

>> Friday, July 23, 2010

Financial Friday: Where To Find Deals On Eating Out

By: Alice Shaffer The Financial Nanny

As a nanny I enjoy finding ways to save money for myself and my nanny family. I have used Restaurant.com for my nanny work and personal outings. I let the kids look at the restaurants too and let them make a choice sometimes. I have also used Groupon to save 50% off at several locations while I was traveling to San Francisco and locally.

The question becomes how do you save money when you are home and go to local places? With social media being so large as it many places have taken to having fan pages on Facebook and Twitter. Often times you can "like" or "follow" the place of your choice online and they will have special coupons and discounts available to their "fans" and "followers"

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

Where to Find Deals on Eating Out

Financial Friday: Swagbucks

>> Monday, July 19, 2010

Financial Friday: Swagbucks

by Alice Shaffer

As a professional nanny, I sometimes would like some extra "cash" but don't want a second job or babysitting gig on the weekends. I have discovered that there are so many different fun ways to earn money on the internet these days. On Financial Friday, we have featured posts on Mypoints & BZZAgent from Carli and today I bring you Swagbucks.

To read the rest of the article on Swagbucks please visit Regarding Nannies

Financial Friday: Swagbucks

Financial Friday: More On Eating Healthy Organics & Affording Them

>> Friday, June 25, 2010

Financial Friday: More On Eating Healthy Organics & Affording Them
by Alice Shaffer

Regarding Nannies covered National Food Allergy week back in the beginning of May. I am embarking on a more natural and less processed eating lifestyle. There are so many "organics/gluten free" items on the market, but what really is true "organic/gluten free" items. While researching this I found an awesome blog post addressing buying organic foods and eating healthier for less. We all know that eating healthy can cost more than eating processed foods and fast food. It comes from the blog, The Digerati Life. The Digerati Life is a great blog about various finance issues. Make sure to go check it for the other helpful posts on the site.

How to Buy Organic Food and Eat Well for Less Money

by Guest Blogger on June 18, 2010 | edited by SVB

Great tips on buying organic food at a lower cost.
The organic food market has become huge in the past five years. However, some consumers are still very skeptical about the whole “organic” craze because at times it seems like many foods are getting slapped with the organic label only to be charged at a higher price.

“Organic food” can mean a variety of different things depending on what the item is. For instance, it can mean that there are no preservatives or artificial junk in packaged food. It can also mean that dairy products are processed differently. For vegetables and fruits, it can mean that no pesticides or genetic altering is used.

buy organic food

Image from BuyOrganic.com.au

to read the rest of the article please visit

Regarding Nannies Financial Friday:

More On Eating Healthy Organics & Affording Them

Financial Friday: Independent Contractor Law

>> Friday, June 18, 2010

Independent Contractor Law
Compliments of Breedlove & Associates, written specially for Regarding Nannies

This time of year, we frequently receive questions from both families and nannies about payroll and tax reporting requirements for a summer position. Many families assume that because the position is temporary, they can classify the nanny as an independent contractor and issue her a Form 1099. This assumption is incorrect and can land the family in a lot of trouble. Here’s why:

The IRS has ruled that a household worker is an employee of the family for whom he/she works;
It is not based on hours or wages or what’s more convenient for the family;
It is based on an IRS 20-point test which deems workers to be employees unless they operate like a business.

Federal and state tax agencies are initiating huge efforts to crack down on employers who misclassify their workers as independent contractors. If caught, a family may face severe penalties and interest on the back taxes owed, as well as felony tax evasion.

In addition to exposing themselves to financial and legal risk, families who misclassify their nannies as independent contractors are also depriving their nannies of essential benefits. Here are a few:

Employer contributions to Social Security and Medicare;
Eligibility for unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation benefits;
Payroll documentation for establishing employment history.

Nannies deserve (and should want!) to be paid professionally because it’s an investment in their financial future. For more information on independent contractor law, or the payroll and tax obligations of household employers, please don’t hesitate to call us at 888-273-3356. We’re here to help.

Financial Friday: Smartphones & Iphones

>> Friday, June 11, 2010

Financial Friday: Smartphones & Iphones

I confess I am a true Verizon Wireless customer. I have had my service since 1999 or earlier with them. I love their LG phones. I have the eNv3 now and love it. I have not gone to the touchscreen lifestyle yet. As many of you know AT&T announced they are getting rid of their unlimited data plans to new customers and adapting the plans for existing customers. I guess this is one of the reasons I love my phone and Verizon, I just have the premium package which I pay $20 more a month for the navigator, unlimited text and email. I get the chance to check email if need be and I love the navigator on the phone. I loved this blog post on To Smartphone or not. I agree with the poster that getting a smartphone can be expensive.

I know lots of people who are in love with Iphone and will be rushing out to get the new 4g Iphone on June 24. I wanted to share with you a deal I found while reading my various blogs. Radio Shack is offering a trade in value for your 3g Iphone when you purchase the 4g Iphone from them. They have never sold the Iphone before but will start with the 4g one. You will probably want to check it out because it might be worth $100 to $200.

What kind of cellphone/smartphone/iphone do you have and why?

Financial Friday: Mypoints & BZZAgent

>> Friday, June 4, 2010

Financial Friday: Mypoints & BZZAgent

MYPOINTS

These days, everyone shops online. If you're going to be buying online, you may as well earn some rewards at the same time.

There are several ways to earn points on mypoints. The quickest is by shopping through their site. Whenever I am going to make online purchases, rather than going directly to the website, I always check mypoints first. In entering the website through mypoints, I can accumulate points for every dollar I spend.

Even if you're not much of an online shopper, mypoints is still worth checking out. Every day they send 2-3 emails with special offers, and you get 5 points just for clicking on the link. Those little 5 points can quickly add up. Mypoints also offers games that you can win points through. If you're a member of bzzagent, they pay their rewards in mypoints. So that helps them add up quickly!

Depending on your shopping habits, it can take a little while to build up enough points, but its well worth it. Just this month I turned in enough points for $50 at Amazon.com. $50 isn't bad for zero effort!

BZZAgent.com

Raise of hands, who likes free things? Silly question, we all like free things. From the samples at Costco, to the toothbrush at the dentist. When you're a member of bzzagent, you get freebies in two different ways.

Bzzagent is all about word of mouth advertising. After creating a profile and answering some survey questions, they are able to match you up with products that you might enjoy. In order for you to spread the good word about the products, they will mail you a Buzz Kit. Typically a Buzz Kit will contain information about the product, either the product itself or a voucher to get the product at the store, and samples or coupons to share with your friends.

Once you have been accepted into a campaign, and gotten your Buzz Kit in the mail, you then report your experiences on bzzagent. Over the course of the campaign, you can report back as often as you like. Every time you discuss the product with someone, bzzagent.com wants their feedback and reaction. In exchange for your word of mouth advertising, you receive points over on mypoints which you can redeem for gift cards! Its a win-win situation.

Over the past few years, I've gotten many free products through bzzagent. Perfume, turkeys, Aveeno lotion, a Sonicare toothbrush. Just this week I joined campaigns for make-up and dog food.

About the author:
Carli Lintemuth is located in the Metro-Detroit area and has been a professional nanny for 13 years . She co-moderates World Wide Nannies, an online support group exclusively for nannies. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WorldwideNannies/

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