money – Nannyjob blog

Debt Awareness for Families and Nannies – Talking Money, Support, and Smart Habits

Introduction
Money can be a tough topic—but it’s one we can’t afford to ignore. Debt Awareness Week (17th–23rd March 2025), led by StepChange, aims to break the stigma around debt, offer support to those in need, and encourage open conversations about finances.

For families and nannies alike, this is the perfect time to reflect on financial well-being at home. Whether you’re managing a household budget, teaching children about saving, or supporting a family facing money struggles, there are practical ways to build healthy financial habits together.

Why Debt Awareness Matters in Family Life

Debt doesn’t just affect numbers on a bank statement—it impacts mental health, relationships, and daily routines. For families, it can mean tough choices:
Cutting back on essentials
Cancelling activities for children
Living with ongoing stress or shame

Acknowledging the problem is the first step toward fixing it—and Debt Awareness Week is all about showing that help is available and you’re not alone.

The Role of Nannies in Supporting Families

As a nanny, you’re often part of the inner workings of a household. While financial matters are personal, there are ways to support a family going through financial challenges with sensitivity and professionalism:

Be mindful of household spending – Suggest cost-effective activities and free days out.
Support routines and structure – Sticking to routines helps provide emotional security when other areas of life feel uncertain.
Offer practical suggestions – If appropriate, share ideas for low-cost meals, educational freebies, or local support groups.
Be discreet and compassionate – If a family opens up about financial concerns, listen without judgement and respect their privacy.

Talking to Children About Money

You don’t need to dive into the details of debt with children, but it’s important to teach them the value of money and build healthy habits early.

Here’s how to introduce money in age-appropriate ways:

1. Use Play to Teach Money Skills

Set up a pretend shop and practise using coins
Use pocket money to teach saving, spending, and giving
Read age-appropriate books about money

2. Encourage Saving

Give children a jar or piggy bank and set a savings goal
Praise progress, not just the end result
Let older children open a savings account with your support

3. Make Spending Decisions Together

Talk about value vs. price (“Is this toy worth the money?”)
Involve children in small choices at the supermarket
Use real-life examples to show budgeting in action

Tips for Families & Nannies: Managing Finances Together

Whether you’re a parent or a nanny, here are some ways to promote financial well-being in the home:

Plan meals and batch cook to reduce food waste and spending
Use free local resources (libraries, museums, playgroups)
Rotate toys and clothes through swaps or second-hand markets
Limit impulse spending—make lists before shopping
Normalise conversations about money—keep it positive and judgement-free

Where to Get Help

If you or someone you know is struggling with debt, support is available:

StepChange Debt Charity – Free expert debt advice: www.stepchange.org
Citizens Advice – Local support with budgeting and benefits
MoneyHelper – Tools and advice for managing money

Final Thoughts

Debt Awareness Week is a reminder that money worries can affect anyone, but no one has to face them alone. For families and caregivers, small changes in mindset and daily habits can go a long way in promoting financial stability—and helping children grow up with healthy money values.

Let’s talk more, judge less, and support each other in building a stronger financial future—for ourselves and for the next generation.

How Nannies Can Help Their Families Save Money: Practical Tips and Strategies

As a nanny, you play a crucial role in your nanny family’s life, not just in caring for their children but also in supporting them in various aspects, including financial matters. In this blog post, we’ll explore some practical tips and strategies that nannies can implement to help their families save money without compromising on quality care for the children.

Introduction: As a nanny, you play a crucial role in your nanny family’s life, not just in caring for their children but also in supporting them in various aspects, including financial matters. In this blog post, we’ll explore some practical tips and strategies that nannies can implement to help their families save money without compromising on quality care for the children.

Meal Planning and Preparation: One of the significant expenses for any family is food. By assisting with meal planning and preparation, nannies can help their nanny families save a considerable amount of money. Collaborate with the parents to create weekly meal plans that focus on budget-friendly yet nutritious meals. Utilise leftovers creatively to minimise food waste and encourage the family to shop smartly by buying in bulk or taking advantage of sales and discounts.
Budget-Conscious Activities and Outings: Entertaining children doesn’t have to break the bank. As a nanny, you can suggest and organise budget-conscious activities and outings that are both enjoyable and educational for the children. Explore local parks, libraries, museums with free admission days, or plan nature walks and picnics in the outdoors. Get creative with DIY arts and crafts projects using affordable materials, fostering creativity while saving money.
Energy Efficiency Practices: Help your nanny family reduce their household expenses by promoting energy efficiency practices. Encourage turning off lights and electronics when not in use, utilizing natural light during the day, and adjusting thermostat settings to conserve energy. Educate the children about the importance of being mindful of energy consumption and involve them in simple energy-saving activities, such as turning off the tap while brushing teeth.
Thrifty Shopping and Clothing Swaps: Support your nanny family in making savvy purchasing decisions by researching and recommending budget-friendly shopping options for children’s clothing, toys, and other essentials. Suggest participating in clothing swaps with other families or utilizing online platforms for buying and selling gently used items at a fraction of the cost. By embracing a more minimalist approach to consumption, families can save money while reducing clutter in their homes.
Financial Planning and Goal Setting: Encourage open communication with your nanny family about their financial goals and priorities. Assist them in creating a realistic budget that aligns with their income and expenses, emphasising the importance of setting aside savings for emergencies and future endeavors. Offer support in tracking expenses, identifying areas for potential savings, and celebrating milestones along the way.

Conclusion: As a nanny, your role extends beyond childcare to include supporting your nanny family in various aspects of their lives, including financial management. By implementing these practical tips and strategies, nannies can play a vital role in helping their families save money while providing quality care for the children. Together, you can work towards achieving financial stability and peace of mind.

Tutoring: extra cash for nannies

Being a nanny is a rewarding career. You have the opportunity to pour into the lives of children on a daily basis; this is something that not everyone has the chance to do. But with this job comes challenges. One of these challenges might be that you aren’t making enough money. Sometimes, a nanny’s wages simply aren’t enough to make ends meet so you’re left finding ways to make extra money. This is tough, because after working full time with energetic children all week, you’re probably exhausted and not thrilled on taking on extra work.

However, finding ways to earn more cash doesn’t need to be daunting. Have you considered tutoring as a way to help supplement your income? Giving extra time in this way can help enhance your income without compromising your main job as a nanny. You usually don’t need to have huge, impressive lists of degrees from big-name colleges. You just need to have proven experience and qualifications to show that you’re able to effectively tutor and teach lessons to inquiring young minds. For example, when setting up a profile that showcases your areas of expertise on tutoring websites, you’re able to specify where you can teach, when you can teach, and what subjects you’re best suited for. Clients search for quality tutors and when they decide you’re the one they want, you can name your hourly price and start working a few hours more a week. You decide what extra jobs you take on or turn down: you can call the shots.

Worried about juggling two jobs? There are ways to effectively balance a tutoring job and your main nanny position.

Give your best.

Working two different jobs might make it easy to give less to one job. This is never a good idea, though. Showing your dedication to the children you nanny, as well as the individual student you are tutoring is the key to keeping both families happy. Give 100% in both jobs – that way you’ll have a better chance of receiving positive recommendations and word of mouth referrals to other potential tutees or families looking for nanny services.

Don’t take on too much.

Working too much can be exhausting. Taking on more work may be great in helping you pay off debt or to add more to your savings account, but doing too much can drain you quickly. If you’re fatigued and worn out all the time, you’ll be more apt to make mistakes in your tutoring or be irritable with the children you’re caring for. Always remember: when taking on extra work, be sure that it’s not going to compromise your first and main source of income.

Consider overlapping responsibilities.

Tell the parents of the children you nanny that you are considering taking on extra tutoring work. Perhaps they would consider having you tutor their children for an increased pay rate. You may be able to negotiate a higher salary that way. Or, ask your nanny family if it’s ok for you to bring your laptop with you to work so you can build tutoring lessons during nap times or other down times. Overlapping responsibilities like this can take some of the stress out of working more hours in the week.

Most of all, don’t forget that as a nanny and a tutor, you are helping develop children to be confident and capable adults. Being a good example and demonstrating solid work ethic should always be a high priority.