LilSugar

Mommy Dearest: Nanny Share Without Compensation?

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:00:53 PST

Mommy Dearest,

I'm a stay-at-home mom with a part time nanny that helps out when I need to run errands, work out, lunch with friends or take a night out with my husband. She watches our two sons, ages 5 and 7, for $20 an hour. My best friend and I usually go to the gym together so she drops her six year old off at my house and the children play while we are away. He's well behaved and they get along great. My nanny always welcomes him, but told me yesterday that a playdate is one thing and my friend dropping her child off on a daily basis is another. She is willing to watch him, but expects to be compensated for it. I was taken back because we've had this arrangement for about a year and she never seemed to mind. Is it fair for her to ask for more money now?

- Should Nanny Get Compensated

To read the response from Mommy Dearest,

Should Nanny Get Compensated,

When you hired your babysitter it was with the understanding that she'd be tending to two children and that is how you negotiated an hourly rate. While a playdate is one thing, adding another child for her to care on a daily or frequent basis is quite another. In my opinion, it was very generous of her to watch him for free for this long. While it sounds like she is fond of the kids, you need to remember that this is her livelihood. Sit down with your nanny and your friend and come up with a new rate for the occasions when the little boy comes over. If your friend is not willing to pay, she should find another caretaker for her child.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

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Mommy's Lil Helper: Babysitting Calculator

LilSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:00:12 PST

The last thing a new mom needs to do when preparing for a night out on the town is to fret over how much to pay the babysitter. Sittercity offers an easy and free solution with their rate calculator.

Parents just type in their zip code, number of children and years of experience and age of their babysitter before hitting the button that configures the rate. The calculator also explains cost adjustments for overnights, special events, twins and newborns and doing housework.

So spend less time thinking about logistics and more energy focusing on hanging out with your spouse!

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9 Ways to Earn Extra Cash When Money Is Tight

Wise Bread — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:51:58 PDT

I'm sure everyone can do with a little more cash in their wallets. Here are some great suggestions by Wise Bread for you to make extra money.

Even though I'm self-employed full-time, I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to make more money.

Earlier this year, I wrote a Wise Bread post on websites that can help you earn extra cash. More recently, I came across a blog post on Zaarly titled, "10 Ways to Make Money Without a Job." After reviewing the latter post, I thought it was time to revisit the topic and let you in on a few more ways to get paid.

The ideas that Zaarly presents are perfect for the unemployed or those who just want to pad their pockets a little more. In addition, there are moonlighting jobs that I do that I thought you should know about. Thus, if you're without a steady paycheck or you just want to build up a rainy-day stash, here are some of your options.

1. Offer Experiences to Strangers

I recently learned about a new site called Vayable, which allows people with specialized knowledge and talents, local info, and time on their hands to create experiences that others can purchase. It's basically a touring and activity company without the company. Anyone can join the site and set up an experience. For instance, the Kan Brothers offer motorcycle tours of San Francisco - which include helmet rental, a drink at a local hot spot, and a city map - for two to four people at $75 per person. In New York City, Kim G. is offering a personalized painting lesson for groups of two to six for a flat rate of $300; the experience includes acrylic paints; canvas board and supplies; studio space; wine, cheese, and crackers; and Kim’s undivided attention. Consider this tip if you're interested in joining Vayable: Browse the site to see what other people in your area are offering. By creating a unique experience that no one else has established, you have a better chance of getting booked.

Read on for more.

8 Reasons You Need a Roth IRA Now

Kiplinger — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:50:27 PDT

Be savvy about your retirement. Kiplinger gives eight compelling reasons for getting a Roth IRA account now.

Smart young savers know to participate in their companies' 401(k)s as soon as they join the workforce to benefit from as many years of saving and compounding as possible (see Why You Need a 401(k) Right Away). But really smart young savers - including all of you who read Starting Out, obviously - should know to save via a Roth IRA, too.

In fact, the Roth IRA is such an important retirement investment tool that it now has its own holiday. On March 27, Jeff Rose, financial planner and GoodFinancialCents.com blogger, hosted an online event, the Roth IRA Movement, which he plans to make an annual celebration. He rallied 145 other personal-finance writers to spread the good word about the star savings account and inspire rookie investors to open their own accounts. "Overall, the turnout was awesome," says Rose. "Several people have already e-mailed me and said that someone they know opened a Roth IRA because of reading a post about it."

Here are some of our favorite lessons to take away from the inaugural Roth IRA Movement:

1. You can open a Roth no matter how young you are, as long as you have earned income. Peter Anderson points out in his Roth IRA Movement contribution, 10 Reasons Why I Love the Roth IRA (And Why You Should Too): "There isn't an age limit to have a Roth IRA, so even your children can have one!" They can, that is, as soon as they make money working, whether it be babysitting, lawn mowing, working retail or whatever.

And it's super-easy to open a Roth through your bank. Or you can try one of Kiplinger's favorite online brokers. TD Ameritrade requires no minimum initial investment and charges no maintenance fees. For your application, you'll just need your Social Security number, your employer's name and address, your checking or savings account number and bank routing number (if you want to fund the Roth IRA electronically), and your beneficiary's address and Social Security number.

Read on for more.

Ryan Reynolds Shares Details on the Divorce He Didn't "Plan On"

Allie Merriam — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:53:35 PDT

Ryan Reynolds struck a hot pose for the June/July cover of Details. The actor has been out of the Hollywood spotlight for the last few months while working on Safe House abroad, but he's going to be everywhere in the coming weeks as he preps for the release of his blockbuster Green Lantern on June 17. Ryan chatted with a writer from the magazine about the developments in his personal life over the last year, making rare comments about his divorce from Scarlett Johansson. It seems Ryan's happy to be single despite rumors linking him to the German model Agnes Fischer and reports he's trying to help her land acting work in Hollywood. Ryan's good friend Sandra Bullock also weighed in on his career, revealing one of the things he loves most about his Canadian homeland. Ryan Reynolds to Details:

Ryan on his divorce: "Anyone who gets divorced goes through a lot of pain, but you come out of it. I'm not out of it yet. At all. But I sense that as I do come through it, there's optimism. How can there not be? I don't think I want to get married again, but you always reevaluate these things. Any kind of crisis can be good. It wakes you up. I gotta say, I'm a different person than I was six months ago. . . . What was happening privately was the exact opposite of what was being reported. There was no story and no scandal, so the narrative was just created for me. That was the most disturbing part. I wasn't angry. I absolutely predicted every beat of it. There's an entire economy around this sort of thing - therefore it's gotta happen one way or another."
Ryan on moving forward: "Relationships ending move you from who you were to who you are at a much more accelerated rate than almost anything else on Earth. . . . Departing a relationship and still maintaining the idea that this is still the same person I married is a great luxury that I experienced. Thankfully I was in a relationship where two people chose to remain on the high road in every regard. . . . I'm very happy not to be in a relationship right now. That's OK. I didn't plan on it, that's for sure . . . but that's okay."
Ryan on his tough-guy side: "You want to see what I’m like when we turn the tape recorder off? I slit throats, that’s what I do. I only drink panda tears. Do not bring me water. Do not bring me filtered water. I want the tears of a newborn panda, and I will have them - because I’m Ryan Reynolds!"
Sandra Bullock on Ryan: "It makes you want to watch more of him to figure it out. As his friend, any dark secrets that I may or may not know are forever safe with me. Unless he doesn’t do something I want him to do, like babysitting. When that day comes, I’ll be sure to hold a press conference. . . . He constantly talks of the healing powers of maple syrup. I don’t know if that’s a Canadian trait, but it’s always uncomfortable when it comes up."

Photos courtesy Matthias Vriens-McGrath for GQ

Should You Use Separate or Joint Accounts?

Kiplinger — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:15:58 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

In every serious, long-term relationship, you reach a special moment when one of you has to pop a very important question: joint or individual accounts? (To be clear, this query is not fit for first-date chitchat; merging your finances is as big a commitment as exchanging keys or vows.) The right answer will be as unique as you are. “There is no magic bullet,” says David Fleisher, president of Firstrust Financial Resources, a financial-planning firm in Philadelphia. “But the healthiest of relationships that I see are those who ensure that both people are on the same page.”

You just have to talk out your financial goals and agree on a plan that works best for you and your mate. Be sure to consider your respective money attitudes and behaviors when deciding your strategy. Ask each other: What bills need to be paid regularly? Are you a stickler for paying bills on time, or do due dates tend to slip past you? What short- and long-term savings goals do you have? What are your spending habits? And of course, you’ll want to address these 4 Critical Money Questions to Ask Before You Get Married.

Read on to find out more.

The Sitter Trailer: Don't Trust Jonah Hill With Your Kids

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:51:02 PDT

Jonah Hill introduces the the red-band trailer to his upcoming comedy The Sitter by calling it the "filthiest R-rated babysitting movie ever made." The fact that the preview opens with a woman climaxing leads me to believe Hill isn't exaggerating, and that his adventures in babysitting will make those of Elisabeth Shue back in the '80s look tame by comparison. Whether or not a raunchy take on caring for children will work is another question.

Hill's character, a broke college student, initially resists his mother's advice to babysit in order to make some extra cash, arguing that adult men don't babysit. Perhaps that's because as a babysitter, Hill leers at his clients and threatens their children with murder. His main concern is hooking up with Ari Graynor's character (the aforementioned climaxer), and he ends up dragging the kids he cares for around in a cross-town pilgrimage for a booty call. Along the way, there's a lot of cursing, and a run-in with drug-dealing criminals.

The movie seems in line with the recent bout of R-rated comedies that often rely on shock value for laughs, so I'm curious to see how far the three young kids will be pushed for the gags in this movie. The film comes out this December, but you can see how you feel about Hill's babysitting abilities (warning: NSFW!) when you

Atlantis Adventure: What We Thought of the Atlantis Kids Club

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 PST

Have kids, will play! We recently spent some time down in the Bahamas courtesy of Atlantis, JetBlue and LEGO. The main purpose of our trip was to attend the grand opening of the resort’s Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA). Nestled between the pristine beaches, inviting waterslides and attractive aquariums, the 8,000 square foot kid space is nothing short of a wonderland for 3-12 year olds. The kids only club (no parents are allowed beyond the check-in counter) blends traditional camp activities like arts and crafts and dodge ball with state-of-the art technology, in a modern space that has something for everyone. Staffed by an energetic team, the AKA allows visitors to pick their own guided “adventure” during their stay.

AKA’s youngest club-goers (all lil ones must be potty trained), will love the Imagination Station’s fully-stocked grocery store and life-sized Victorian dollhouse. Its Wizardology reading room is filled with adorable pods for kids to cozy up with a favorite book, while a talking tree "reads" books aloud. There is also a performance room with a dress up area (complete with photographers that snap pictures to show off to mom and dad later) and interactive projected floor games (dodge ball, fish catching, soccer goalie, etc.) and an arts and crafts room where tots can complete both digital and live projects.

It might be hard trying to pry your older child's hands off of all of the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers that line the Game Room. Mac stations fill the Computer Room allowing kids to safely browse the web and compete in online games against other club-goers. And the Arts and Crafts Room is filled with projects specifically designed for the more mature crowd.

To see where the club could use some improvements and how much it will cost you,

The state-of-the-art AKA seemingly has enough activities to keep kids' hands (and minds) busy while parents enjoy a lil R&R of their own, but given the location of the club, I was disappointed to find that most of the activities were indoors. While there is an outdoor play space (complete with life-size versions of Scrabble and Candy Land, a ping pong table and a basketball hoop), it had to be sought out, which is pretty hard to do when you are surrounded by fancy technology.

The staff did tell me that lunch and snacks are often eaten outside, but given that most families visit the resort as an escape from cold-weather locales, I would love to see more activities that involve the kids exploring the aquariums, beach and dolphins that make Atlantis such a great destination.

In terms of pricing, the morning and afternoon sessions (3 and 4 hours each, respectively) cost $45 each, with lunch and dinner options available for an additional fee. There is also an hourly rate available. For families who want to enjoy the resort’s outdoor activities together during the day, but are looking for some time for mom and dad to experience one of Atlantis’ celebrity chef restaurants and the casino, the $60 evening session (from 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.) is the same price as the babysitting service, but a lot more fun than sitting in your room with a strange caretaker.

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