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 Holiday Edition, 2010 |
| A Message From Kathy | |
Happy holidays! It's hard to believe that December is already here and Christmas is right around the corner! I love the cold weather that calls for warm sweaters and boots, fires in the fireplace and especially hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.
Because closet space is limited, we go through the exercise of rotating the spring/summer wardrobe with the fall/winter wardrobe, moving some things up high and making others more accessible. It's a great time to cull through clothing, shoes and accessories and decide what to keep, what is outgrown, what to give away, and anything still needed. We ask our kids to go through the same exercise with toys, books, and miscellaneous junk that piles up through the year in their various play areas. Knowing that Christmas means an influx of new "stuff", it's a perfect opportunity to pare down and make some room.
Mom's Best Friend has wonderful temporary personal assistants and "holiday elves" that love to organize and help with these sometimes painful tasks and who have less personal attachment to the things we would never miss if permanently gone from sight! Our holiday helpers can also assist with gift wrapping, addressing and preparing holiday cards to be mailed, picking up gift cards, dropping off client gifts, shopping, errand running, and much more. We also have traveling nannies that can accompany your family on that vacation, giving you some down time for you while your wonderful nanny is doing some fun excursions with the kids! Additionally, we can help with your holiday parties, do onsite special events childcare, or help with serving at your seasonal soiree! Don't forget to book early for New Year's Eve! Let us know how MBF can best help and support your family this holiday season! Sincerely, Kathy Dupuy, President |
| Tax Tips from Breedlove and Associates | | 
Q: I hired a nanny this year and I'm beginning to feel anxious about my year-end requirements. What exactly needs to be prepared and filed?
A:It's good to be thinking ahead, because there are a few deadlines in the New Year that household employers must be aware of. And as we all know, once the holidays hit, January is just around the corner. To help you get your ducks in a row before the holiday season completely sets in, we've put together a list of deadlines you should be aware of if you had a household employee this year (and paid that individual at least $1,700 in wages).
January 15: 1040-ES #4 due to the IRS
January 31: Q4 state return due
January 31: Form W-2 due to your employee
February 28: SSA filings due (March 31 if E-filed)
April 15: Schedule H due (filed with Form 1040)
Once these requirements are handled, you can take advantage of the childcare tax breaks on your 2010 tax return. Capitalizing on the Dependent Care Account and/or Childcare Tax Credit, you'll likely find that most - if not all - of your employer tax costs will be offset by your tax breaks. For a quick estimate of your costs and tax breaks, visit our Employer Budget Calculator (or give us a call and we'll walk you through it).
In the meantime, it's a good idea to begin gathering proof of expenses (i.e., your nanny's paystubs; your receipts from Mom's Best Friend, etc.).
If you have any questions about the year-end deadlines, or maximizing your tax savings, please feel free to give us a call at 1-888-273-3356.
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Special Offers for MBF Clients
Holiday Sitter Special
Use MBF Caregivers for your holiday party childcare. We can transform a simple room into an instant play area for children where we can provide sitters and fun crafts and activities. 2 sitters can watch 8 children for an all inclusive fee of $290 for up to 5 hours. (Packages can be adjusted according to the number of children) Book now for $10 off agency fees.
Use code: HOL1231A
Don't forget about booking early for New Year's Eve!
 Holiday Nanny Special |
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Receive $200 off a full-time nanny placement fee if job closes before December 31st! For more information, please email Laura Patterson at laura.patterson@mbfagency.com or call 512-646-1041. |
| Ask the Expert | |
Q: We are traveling over the holidays and won't need our nanny to come with us - do we still pay her?
A: YES! Ask yourself this question: in my profession, do I expect my boss to pay me when he/she goes out of town? Of course! It's important that you view your nanny as a professional caregiver and her chosen vocation, caring for your children, as a professional career choice, and make decisions accordingly. Hopefully, you will not even encounter this question because issues like this have been clearly outlined in your work agreement (especially if you used Mom's Best Friend to place your nanny).
However, if ambiguity exists around this issue and it has not been clearly communicated in advance, I would suggest that you open up an honest dialogue around the subject. Some families ask that their nannies attempt to coordinate at least a portion of their vacation time (typically only if full-time and have vacation pay) around the family's vacation time, perhaps one week on the same schedule and another week of her own choosing (assuming the standard two weeks of paid vacation).
If this is not a viable option, consider asking your nanny to take the time while you are away to house/pet sit and potentially do some home organization. When the house is empty, security is a big concern particularly over the holidays, and your nanny's simple presence there can provide a real peace of mind. The Thanksgiving holidays are a great time to begin getting out the Christmas decorations and beautifying your home, and post Christmas is a great time to put it all back into storage. Furthermore, rotating the kids' wardrobes, organizing (and purging some old) toys, putting pictures in albums, culling through kids' schoolwork and artwork, scheduling needed home maintenance like carpet cleaning or car maintenance, and managing other household projects can make wise use of the extra time your nanny has available. So take advantage of that quiet time which rarely exists in a busy household to enlist your nanny's help in making major headway on that unending to do list! Kathy Dupuy, President |
| Organizing Tips From the Clutter Diet | |
I just got a postcard in the mail for 30% off my entire purchase at one of my favorite stores. Now, I am not a power-shopper type of gal, but I do know a good deal when I see one.
So it made me think about how you turn "Shop 'til you drop" into "Shop 'til you...STOP." How do you stop yourself from getting into a shopping frenzy and buying more than you need?
We teach in our online program that getting organized is about Prevention, Reduction, and Maintenance-- just like losing weight. Prevention is the first line of defense! You have to stop eating donuts if you want to lose some body pounds, and you have to stop bringing unneeded stuff over the threshold of your house if you want to lose Clutter-PoundsŪ.
Here are some great ways to STOP:
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Use our Clutter Prevention Wallet Sleeves. We have on these sleeves the five questions you should ask before buying anything-- and your favorite debit or credit card gets stored inside. You cannot avoid it when shopping! These are a free printable download when you get our weekly "Just a Bite" newsletter here: www.clutterdiet.com/freetips -
Arm yourself with knowledge about sales ploys and how they affect you. Is a two-for-one deal really any good if you didn't need two in the first place (or even one)? Is the sale that brought you in the door causing you to buy something else while you're there that wasn't on sale? Before getting swept up in a frenzy, remember that the store is pushing your mental buttons. Don't go on autopilot! Keep your wits. -
Carry a calculator. Many smartphones have calculators built in, so you may already have one in your purse or pocket. If you don't have one, at least do a rough estimate in your head of what your savings actually will be and ask, "Is it worth it?" Is saving on the name brand going to still get you a deal compared to buying the generic or house brand of the identical item? -
Shop like a hunter, not a gatherer. We recommend that when organizing your closet, you make a list of the missing pieces of your wardrobe. Maybe there's that one blouse you've never had quite the right scarf for, or vice versa, or you need a belt, or you need a new pair of wool pants. If you bring the list with you, you'll shop in a more targeted way, instead of just browsing around aimlessly. -
Control your "clutter cravings." Are you a "shoe person?" Or do you like going to garage sales? Don't go alone into the clutter calorie equivalent of going to Krispy Kreme... bring a friend to talk you down, or bring cash with you to limit your spending.
Get comfortable with the concept of "enough." Resist the urge to "collect them all" or get one in every color!
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| MBF Superstars | | |
Featured San Antonio Long-term Nanny: Juana M.
 We are so lucky at MBF to have Juana as one of our nannies! She has been working as a professional nanny for 20 years and strives to provide the best care and guidance for her charges. Juana takes her role very seriously and thinks it is important to always support the decisions and beliefs of the parents and to help them in the up bringing of their children. She believes children fill our lives with laughter, happiness, and a great sense of purpose. In addition to working with children as a nanny, she is currently in school getting a degree in education.
Featured San Antonio Temporary Nanny: Viviana A.
Viviana is a wonderful addition to our temp team. She has her associates degree in Medical Assisting, and has been a nanny for over 12 years. Viviana has also owned her own daycare center. In her free time, she loves any type of arts & crafts. You might find Viviana working on a scrapbook or upholstering furniture. She also loves reading magazines, trying new recipes, and spending time with her family. She is fluent in Spanish and is described as "active, responsible, and caring." |
| What Clients are Saying | |
I just wanted to provide feedback on our experience with your service Saturday evening. We could not have been more pleased with our babysitter. She was calm and self-assured and gained my confidence immediately. My son was comfortable and took to her right away, leading her around by her hand to show her his playthings. I felt completely at ease while my husband and I were away enjoying some much needed time together. We are already planning our next date night.
--Monique, Sitter Service Client |
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Read about promotions, exclusive offers, and fun things going on in Austin.This past month we have had holiday specials and weekend deals! You will also learn about exclusive offers for our fans only.
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