“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

– 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. I suggest starting there – you can take their 10-question assessment to figure out if working from home is really a good option for you. Then, read up! Try their FAQs, get information about finding a computer (if you don’t have one at home), and follow their interviewing tips.

Once you’ve determined that you’re a good candidate, think about your skill-set. What jobs have you held in the past? What skills did you use daily in those positions? Knowing and understanding what you’re good at will help you choose from the positions available – and there a lot of different positions! For example, virtual customer service agents are in growing demand. “Companies like J. Crew and Walgreens outsource their customer-service calls to companies that hire U.S.-based virtual agents,” says Johnson. There are also opportunities out there to work from home doing things like blogging, editing, and virtual PR, as well as positions acting as a virtual assistant — helping busy professionals coordinate their calendars, and perform other administrative tasks. It’s absolutely a legitimate job, just like David Bach said on the Today show — but still keep on the look out for any of those red flags we mentioned earlier. If you’re not sure if these options are up your alley, though, check out the list below – and visit womenforhire.com to find out more information about each of them!

• Audio to Text Transcriptionist
• Caregiver
• Concierge Agent
• Culinary Consultant
• Direct Sales
• Eldercare Manager or Referral Agent
• Home-based Recruiter
• Medical Coder or Transcriptionist
• Nurses on Call
• Online Guide
• Online Tutor
• Tech Support Provider
• Telemarketer
• Translator

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.Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to schedule a few interviews and ask the following questions:

1. What is your experience?

Only you can decide what you’re comfortable with, but I’ve found that decades of experience aren’t necessary.  But you do want someone who’s worked with multiple children in the past, and has the references to back it up.  Ask for names and numbers, and call them.  If you’re interviewing a place, like a daycare facility or someone who watches children in their home, go visit during rush hour and ask the parents who are picking up their kids how they like the service.  You’ll get lots of – unsolicited – comments.

2. What is your philosophy on discipline?

No matter what it is, it should be in line with your own.  You don’t want to confuse your children or be uncomfortable with how behavioral problems are handled.

3. What would an average day with my child be like?

The answer you’re looking for here depends on what an average day with you is like.  Do you mind if your children watch television, or do you prefer that they be outside playing?  Are you looking for someone who will take your kids on field trips, or would you prefer they stay closer to home?  If this person has experience with children, he or she should be able to suggest multiple educational activities, and they should be age and gender-specific.

4. Can you share some of your rules?

Again, the rules should align with your own.  No one feels exactly the same here, but if you’re strict and the nanny is loose, you’ll hear about it from your children and you’ll feel like the bad guy.  Any nanny should be willing to adapt to your house rules, but if she agrees with them, they’ll be much easier to enforce.

Finally, fill in your own blanks.  Do you want this person to have a car, so he or she can drive your children to activities?  Should he or she also be able (and willing) to help with basic homework questions?  Do you expect dinner to be prepared?  All the things you put on your initial list can be discussed now.

One last thing.  As a mother, you know this as well as I do:  Don’t ignore your gut instincts. They’re usually spot on.  But even if you have good vibes, I’d hire on a trial basis for a month or so, then set the deal in stone.

WHO:

WHAT: M&B Vintage – Unique, vintage jewelry pieces.

WHERE: New York and Chicago

WHEN: 2004

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. “We soon discovered that we were often asked as many questions about the ‘jingle & sparkle’ of our vintage charm bracelets as we were about our collecting expertise,” says Leiner. The bracelets, which each had created with their finds over the years, along with the push from their fans inspired Leiner and Moss to launch M&B Vintage in 2004.

Using money from their book advance and their own personal funds, the two split the cost of the business until it began to profit. “We took our time acquiring things, grew a trunk show schedule, and began advertising, all at a pace that never made us feel overwhelmingly anxious,” says Leiner. Evidently, the “slow and steady” approach really can get you ahead in the race, since M&B now features over 1,000 charms, two lines – M&B Vintage, and their newest, M&B Souvenir – and is worth over $250,000. They’ve been featured in publications such as The New York Times and Marie Claire magazine, among others, and fans include famed designer Nate Berkus, and first lady Michelle Obama!

The pair credit many of their experiences as writers and style experts for their company’s success. “We know it was all wonderful preparation and experience for launching something of our very own,” says Leiner. In 2010, they expect to fully launch their online store, add a blog where they can share their decorating and style ideas (as well as hear those of their fans), and add more features to their dual lines.

THEIR ADVICE: “You will figure it out along the way,” says Leiner. “Don’t be afraid of what you think you don’t know.”

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.

Is this a problem? I’d say so. Because in many households, the financial end of this college planning process isn’t getting handled at all. According to the study, 62% of households have saved less than $10,000 for college, 43% have saved less than $5,000 and 12% have saved nothing at all. This isn’t a low-income problem. More than 40% of homes with incomes of more than $100,000 have saved less than $10,000 for college.

I’m not suggesting that men back out of their engagement. Or that families prioritize saving for college over saving for retirement. I’m a believer that retirement – where there’s no financial aid – trumps college – where there is. I am falling back on the old adage: When you want something done, ask a busy person. We women are the busy ones, but it’s time for us to engage.

Why? First of all, we believe more than men (74% vs. 69%) that it’s crucial for our kids to get college degrees. But second and perhaps more importantly, if the right kind of planning isn’t done, we are going to be the ones picking up the slack … and worse.

Think about it: We go about raising our kids, paying for what they need as they grow, as well as the other necessities of everyday life: the mortgages, car loans, here-and-there emergencies, health care. We shove as much as we can into our retirement accounts, knowing that it probably won’t be enough, and save a little for college on the side.

Then Harvard comes calling. Or maybe UMass. And so Junior doesn’t have to borrow all that much, we soft-pedal those 401(k) contributions and pay what we can out of cash flow. Life goes on. He graduates, as does his little sister. A decade later, we retire. We’re doing okay on our retirement stashes – living not lavishly, but comfortably. Ten years later, we’re still living, a little less lavishly. Your husband – sadly – passes away. And ten years from that, the nest egg is about gone. But you’re not. And you raise the white flag to ask the kids (who are now struggling to pay for college for their own kids, and fund their own retirements) for help.

Could the scenario be avoided? Maybe not in every case, but certainly in some. How? By getting in the game and acknowledging that you’re going to step up and pay for at least part of those college bills – parental guilt won’t allow you to do anything else – so you might as well build them into your financial plan. Doing so sooner rather than later will help us all.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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. The hanging files should cover general categories, like taxes, banking, credit cards, legal, and so on. Then within each hanging folder, be specific. For example, within “credit cards,” you should file by type and year (American Express 2010, Visa 2010). That way, when 2011 rolls around, you can archive those 2010 folders and start fresh in the new year.

Then, it’s time to tackle the task of going through that disorganized stack, and decide what to keep and what to toss.

When you bring in the mail each day, go right ahead and toss out the offers for credit cards (after shredding them, if you can). Some things that don’t come in the mail, like ATM receipts, information about prospective investments, and receipts for items you’re keeping, or don’t have a warranty on, should all be tossed after a month – or once you’ve compared them to a bill or bank statement.

Once a year has passed, taxes have been filed, and consolidated statements have come in, you can get rid of a bunch of papers (which, in the meantime, should be filed). Toss things like:
· Bank and brokerage statements
· Household bills (utilities, cell phones, cable, internet, etc.) – but keep them if you deduct them for office expenses.
· Credit card bills
· Pay stubs
· Social Security statements

I suggest keeping the following for seven years (or when you don’t need them anymore for taxes).
· Childcare records
· Flexible spending account documentation
· 401(k) and retirement plan annual statements
· IRA contribution records
· Investment purchase records
· Records of charitable donations
· Records on houses you’ve sold
· Tax returns and backup documents.

Papers regarding specific assets (homes, cars, etc.) should be filed away for as long as you have the asset. That includes everything from insurance policies to titles, receipts for home improvements, technologic devices, art, and jewelry, as well as warranties.

However, there are some papers that you should keep for a lifetime – with copies in a safe place (like a safe-deposit box) that’s not your home (in case of a fire or theft). These things include:

· Adoption papers
· Appraisals
· Birth Certificates
· Citizenship papers
· Custody agreements
· Deeds
· Divorce papers
· Financial aid documents
· A comprehensive list of credit card numbers, bank and brokerage statements, insurance papers, and contact numbers for all of the above.
· List of contacts like lawyers, doctors, accountants, and family members.
· Military records
· Powers of Attorney
· Wills and living wills

Is this list daunting? Yes, of course it is – even in this age of technology, there is a lot of paper to keep track of – and it can be hard to tell if it’s important or not, and where it should go if it is. Just take some time to go through it all and put it away, safely – trust me, you’ll enjoy the counter space.

In today’s economy, it’s hard enough to find a job – let alone, a flexible one that suits your needs both as a professional and a working mom.  But don’t despair – in actuality, this may be one of the BEST times to land the flexible gig you need to finally achieve and maintain some form of life/work fit.

While the economy has definitely taken a toll on the job market, it has also forced us companies and employees to reevaluate how we work – and we have seen flexibility placed at the forefront of this change. When companies couldn’t afford to reward and entice employees with bonuses or raises, they were forced to get creative and offer flexible work schedules, four-day work weeks, sabbaticals, and telecommuting options instead.  When workers could not find full-time, traditional positions, they in turn started freelancing, contracting, and even interning.  Both corporations and workers have seen the benefits of workplace flexibility in terms of morale and profits, and the average 9 to 5 has been redefined during the recession.

So how can you find a flexible job that matches your skill set and experience?

• Start your own freelance or consulting company.  Many employers who were forced to downsize over the past year are hesitant to invest in full-time hires as their business picks up.  Temporary and contract work is the fastest growing segment of employment right now, and USA Today recently reported that up to a quarter of the nation’s workforce could become temps over the next two years.  Would your skills and experience make you a valuable asset to a product launch campaign or three month operations manual overhaul for a local company?  Sign up at elance.com or sologig.com to promote your temp services and work how and when you’d like.  One thing to note – be prepared to cover your own health insurance and retirement costs, as that is one of the employer benefits for not actually bringing you on full-time.
• Approach your current employer.  Flexible work arrangements allow organizations to cut payroll costs without large-scale staff reductions.  Companies such as KPMG implemented an optional four-day workweek last year in exchange for a 20% lower base salary.  Cost-saving strategies are at the forefront of your supervisor’s mind.  If you are willing to take a slight decrease in pay in exchange for your dream schedule or are willing to forgo your bonus in order to telecommute one day per week – now is the time to approach him or her about it.
• Throw a party.  Today’s Tupperware party is not your mother’s Tupperware party.  If you are strictly looking to find a source of secondary income, sign on to host an in-home party and make a profit off of your sales.  Many products these days can sell for over $100, allowing you to generate a sometimes significant amount of profit.  Many women have also turned to in-home jewelry, culinary, and clothing sales in order to keep their skill-sets fresh, gain new experience, and make money according to their scheduling needs.
• Go to a temporary staffing company.  Of course, make sure that you make the company aware of your flexibility needs and find out if they are willing to work with you.  Some might have part time or flexible jobs and others may not.  There are a few firms that focus specifically on flexible work, like the one I founded, Mom Corps. Mom Corps matches up candidates like you with premier employers who have flexible work opportunities (part-time, contract, telecommuting, etc.)
• Network creatively and strategically.  The definition of networking has also changed substantially.  You don’t have to put on a power suit and attend a sometimes awkward business luncheon or cocktail reception in order to collect business cards and contacts anymore.  Some of today’s best networking takes place at the soccer field with parents of your children’s friends, over Twitter and Facebook with other working moms’ groups, and while volunteering in your community.  Cast a wide net professionally – and personally – in order to set yourself up for as many leads as possible. Let your network know what you are looking for and you might just find the perfect opportunity!

Most importantly, have fun!  There are some great flexible opportunities out there just waiting for you!

WHO:

WHAT: Lollibomb Beauty – Vegan and handcrafted bath, body, and cosmetic products.

WHERE: Fort Lauderdale, FL

WHEN: 2006

HOW: Sitting behind a desk in a commercial real estate office, Luca Cusolito needed a diversion. She was busy – working a desk job while simultaneously pursuing a college degree – but, as she says, “the siren song of business ownership was calling me.” Having done some research, Cusolito discovered Etsy.com – an online retailer featuring thousands of unique, handmade products. “I was immediately smitten by the spirit of the handmade movement and all the inspirational people that sold their DIY creations,” says Cusolito, and with an idea for unique cosmetics, she launched Lollibomb.

Cost-conscious, Cusolito started small. “Ingredients, incorporation, and product liability insurance included, I think I started up with less than $3,000,” says Cusolito. Only offering a few products at first, she took advantage of social media to spread the word about her line, in lieu of pricy advertising. “Free samples to test-drive new fragrances and earn reviews also helped propel Lollibomb in its infancy,” she adds.

Like many, however, Cusolito faced a decision when her business started to grow. A third generation woman entrepreneur, she had the drive and business know-how to really get Lollibomb off the ground, but loved her position in real estate. However, she made the choice to leave her job and take a chance – and credits much of that decision to her age. “Being under 25 helped,” Cusolito says. “My car was paid off, I had an inexpensive mortgage, and felt like I was at a good time to pursue entrepreneurship.”

In her first year and a half on Etsy.com, Cusolito made over 2,300 sales – a number that earned her company recognition on the site. However, after slowing down a bit in 2009 (when “life intervened,” she says), Cusolito is kicking back into gear – with some goals set for 2010. This year she hopes to take on a partner – which she believes will really propel the business’ success. Along with introducing seasonal fragrances, Cusolito hopes to add another incentive to buying some of her lip balms and lotions – artsy packaging that doubles as a collectible tin.

HER ADVICE: “Don’t let fear limit your imagination and drive,” says Cusolito. “Yes, we are in a difficult time in terms of small business ownership, but view your obstacles as a chance to get creative and make your own opportunities.”

In Saturday’s New York Times, Alina Tugend tackled the complicated subject of choosing. More options, she pointed out – and the research backs her up – don’t necessarily benefit consumers, job-seekers, even daters looking for someone to share their lives. Having a plethora of options, she points out, seems to have two distinct downsides. One, it makes those people who do eventually choose less happy with their picks; they wonder if the grass would have been greener on the other side. Two, and more dangerously, it stops others from choosing at all.

I’m worried about the second group – in particular where their money is concerned. In the same section of Saturday’s paper, Ron Lieber wrote about keeping your money safe from the next bubble. (Yes, there will be one. The only real questions are when? And in what?) His story pointed out how some financial advisers are starting to employ more complicated – more diversified – strategies in order to protect their clients’ interests. In other words, more choices – precisely the stumbling block that will keep too many people from investing at all.

I’ve always thought about the world of personal finance as having two hemispheres. There is the clear hemisphere, which includes insurance, credit cards, auto loans and mortgages. Ask me a question in this hemisphere – Should I pay off this credit card or that one? Is this mortgage better for me or is that one? – and I can give you the right answer. Then there’s the foggy hemisphere where questions don’t have right answers. They may have answers that are more likely to be correct, in the future, when it all shakes out. But there are very few guarantees. This is where investing falls. Should I buy this stock or that one? Will I be better off with a mutual fund that has performed well over the past decade, or a newer one that has shown steam out of the gate? It’s this fog that keeps people from investing altogether.

And that’s not OK. Because investing – in the markets – is the only way for most people to make certain that their money keeps pace with taxes and inflation. In other words, that it doesn’t lose purchasing power over time.

The solution I embrace is one posed by Swarthmore College’s Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice. Dive in as soon as you find something that’s good enough. The key is understanding that investing money is something you do in order to meet tangible goals. You want to replace enough of your income in retirement so that, when supplemented with Social Security, you can live comfortably. You want to cover a certain portion of your child’s college tuition. Once you know what you’re aiming for, then you can figure out how much you need your investments to yield in order to get you there. You’re not aiming for the sky, the very best mutual fund in the rankings, but one that will meet your goals, more or less.

The more-or-less concept of the equation is one women have a particularly tough time wrapping our brains around. I know it’s cliché, but we like to cook with recipes and we like to drive with directions. We like to know there is a correct answer before we tackle the question. In the foggy hemisphere, this is simply not possible. But not tackling the question at all is far more dangerous than diving in after doing your homework, assessing a few good options and picking one of them. And if you can’t? If you’re so stuck you can’t choose? You need help in the form of a financial adviser. Go to napfa.org to find a fee-only financial adviser in your area, or to garrettplanningnetwork.com to find one willing to bill you by the hour.