HOW: Friends since graduate school, Amy Wright and Michelle Herbert had the idea for their business when they were out to dinner. Herbert, a mother of two, reached into her bag for something, and when Wright saw the disarray of diapers, bottles, paperwork, and food inside, a spark was born. “Even in the saturated markets of baby products and women’s handbags, I could not find a bag that was organized, functional as well as sophisticated and elegant,” says Herbert. “Instead, a mom who chose organization and function sacrificed her style and elegance, while a mom who chose elegance and sophistication sacrificed organization and function.” The pair thought, “Why can’t a baby bag be both?” and started designing bags that evening on a restaurant napkin. More…
I started planning my daughter’s bat mitzvah party – which went beautifully, despite a storm that downed trees, closed streets and took out the power – with a budget in mind. And like all good budgets, it had many line items. There was one for decorations. Another for food. Yet another for party favors. And another for entertainment.
Months passed as we planned, and we managed to stick fairly close to those numbers. When the thank-you notes from the stationer where we ordered invitations seemed too pricey, we found look-alike substitutes from a different company. When it became clear that we were going to spend more than expected on a balloon arch for the entryway, we replaced the pricey lamb chops with an Asian station.
And then one day, a couple of weeks ago, I capitulated. On lighting. Washing the walls pink and turning the ceiling into a starry night was going to cost more than I planned on, but I became convinced that we needed to do it to make the party. And then it was as if the floodgates had been opened. More…
Will checking your own credit score hurt you? How will bankruptcy affect your ability to open new credit? What should you do when your credit card company starts charging an annual fee? For the answer to these questions and more, watch the video from today’s edition of Money 911.
“I saw on Today that the gentleman said he uses a Virtual Assistant. Is that a legitimate work at home job? I can’t find a single person that works from home to guide me. I really could use help finding legitimate work at home jobs. Some days I can work, some days I can’t. I have a degree and worked at a major phone company for years and was an Executive Secretary and Medical Assistant. I’m 52.”
– Michelle, Georgia
I receive so many inquiries about work-from-home opportunities! Whether it’s a medical condition, lack of transportation, or another circumstance, thousands of people are looking for flexible employment opportunities – but it can be difficult to find them, and even more difficult to tell if they’re legit. A few weeks ago, I posted a story about work-from-home scams to look out for. Be sure to keep those red flags in mind – and look for the Better Business Bureau’s stamp on websites. That’s assurance that they’ve already checked it out.
A great place to start looking for legitimate work-at-home opportunities is womenforhire.com. I spoke with Peter Johnson, the site’s media director, and he suggested their entire page devoted to work from home opportunities. The page is built on thousands of hours of research – and has opportunities for people of varying skill levels. More…
I know from experience that one of the hardest parts of being a working mom is finding childcare you can rely on. Leaving your child in the hands of someone else – for a whole day! – is never easy.
These days, there’s no shortage of services that will help place you with qualified, experienced caregivers. But in my opinion, the absolute best way to find someone you and your children will love is word of mouth. Talk to people you trust – other parents at the playground, your colleagues at work, or friends and relatives who have recently been through the same search. Ask them what they like about the place or person they’ve chosen, and what their children like about it. Then, sit down with your partner, if you have one, and make a list of what you’re looking for: The day-to-day duties of the job, how much you can afford to pay (the average, depending on where you live, is $10 – $15 an hour, according to www.4nannies.com), and how many hours you’ll need someone each week. More…
HOW: Barri Leiner and Marie Moss were fast friends. Both flea market fiends, the two shared a love for finding and decorating with unique, vintage pieces – as well as a passion for writing. “Having just left the corporate world of marketing and publishing and wanting to pursue projects on our own,” says Leiner, “we marched ourselves into Stewart, Tabori & Chang with Polaroids and a proposal in tow and walked out with a two-book deal.”
Their books were a hit, and the pair began traveling from their homes in New York and Chicago to trunk shows and book signings around the country — but it wasn’t just their books that gained attention. More…
This week, a few quick questions about planning for college:
1: In your house, who helps your child(ren) with homework?
a) Me
b) My husband
2: Who helps your child(ren) research college choices?
a) Me
b) My husband
3: Who helps with the college application process?
a) Me
b) My husband
4: Who’s in charge of planning financially for college?
a) Me
b) My husband
According to a recent survey of more than 1,700 American parents from OppenheimerFunds, these answers are as follows. Question 1: you 83%, your husband 55%; Question 2: you 89%, your husband 62%; Question 3: you 87%, your husband 62% and Question 4: you 65%, your husband 85%.
In other words, we women are in there – fully participating, even leading the charge, at every step of the way – until it comes time to pay the bills. More…
You’ve heard me talk a lot about HAMP — the Home Affordable Modification Program launched by the Obama Administration. Now, however, they’ve added a new facet of the plan that you should know about — Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives, or HAFA, which begins on April 5. If you’re underwater on your mortgage, this program is designed to help you. How does it work? Well, yesterday on the Today show, I talked a little bit about HAFA, and what it means for you. Watch the video below for some answers!
This morning’s Money 911 tackled all sorts of topics. Watch the video below for information on what types of investments are right for you, how to pay back debt effectively, and more!
My wife and I have a disorganized stack of things that came in the mail — bills, receipts, bank statements, and others. I know we need to keep things organized, but I’m not sure what we should be keeping. Help! - Edward, Texas
You’re not alone — in fact, because so many people have a tough time keeping their finances organized, I recently launched a line of money organization products at Target (like the folders at left) — which I’m sending you a sample of in the mail! When it comes down to it, though, so much mail comes into the house every day – I understand your confusion on what is important, and what really isn’t. First, you need to invest in a filing cabinet or portable box (personally, I prefer using a portable box with hanging files – that way, I can pay my bills and file them away where I want and when I want). Get some hanging files and manila folders, and then break them down. More…
WHO: Amy Wright and Michelle Herbert
I started planning my daughter’s bat mitzvah party – which went beautifully, despite a storm that downed trees, closed streets and took out the power – with a budget in mind. And like all good budgets, it had many line items. There was one for decorations. Another for food. Yet another for party favors. And another for entertainment.
“I saw on Today that the gentleman said he uses a Virtual Assistant. Is that a legitimate work at home job? I can’t find a single person that works from home to guide me. I really could use help finding legitimate work at home jobs. Some days I can work, some days I can’t. I have a degree and worked at a major phone company for years and was an Executive Secretary and Medical Assistant. I’m 52.” 
WHO: Barri Leiner and Marie Moss
This week, a few quick questions about planning for college:
My wife and I have a disorganized stack of things that came in the mail — bills, receipts, bank statements, and others. I know we need to keep things organized, but I’m not sure what we should be keeping. Help! - Edward, Texas
