plush nesting dolls by besideherself
last night, as i’m starting to disconnect from the computer and prepping to enjoy the fall finale of glee, i notice a little facebook plea from amanda, of the daily worth. she had a radio segment to tape and was looking for moms experiencing financial strain this holiday season – who’s not feeling financial strain? – and was having finding problem getting 3 moms to commit. ya know, because they’re working, have other obligations, and, generally, ruling the world.
so i said “sure.”
oh – did i mention this little radio segment was for the bbc & npr? i didn’t? well, it was. and thanks to my college boyfriend, who still works in public radio, i listen to npr all.the.time.
custom nesting dolls by mooshoopork
amanda wanted to know what we’ve learned about dealing with our money & the holidays in the current economy and how our spending habits have changed. she was also interested to know how our unique positions (blogger, freelance writer, and single mom) color the way we see the economic recovery – or lackthereof.
the producer of the piece, however, lead off with a completely different set of questions, catching us all a bit off guard! she asked what label we would put on ourselves (soccer mom, hockey mom, nascar dad, etc…). uh, what? so i said “indie biz mom.” i just want you all to know that for when “indie biz moms” are the deciding factor in the next election.
girls’ picnic nesting dolls by poppopportraits
but the conversation quickly turned to the varied hats that women wear in the home. increasingly, women are the chief financial officiers – directing money decisions, paying bills, managing savings – and major breadwinners. of course, we continue to be a source of love, inspiration, and comfort at the same time. for many of us, the indie biz moms, we also wear the hat of ceo of our own careers.
so, i wanted to blog about this whole experience of course. but how to incorporate handmade? the image of nesting dolls came to me. our roles as women and mothers stacked neatly together, each different, each a part of the next, making us whole.
plush nesting doll kit by
pulpdesigns
i’m curious to know your answers to these questions. how are these holidays different than in years past? and are you carrying new roles in your family? do you feel that the economy is continuing to spin out of control or do you see an end in sight?
don’t worry about being an expert or having the latest & greatest news. i’d love (and i’m quite certain that amanda would to) to hear your honest, personal thoughts on the subject!
well, folks, that’s it for this week at scoutie girl. don’t forget to enter the glitzer and megan auman giveaways. and please, please, don’t forget to update your scoutie girl feed! see ya back here on monday!
Tara Gentile is a business coach and blogger serving passion-driven entrepreneurs with fresh ideas about 
Your interview sounds so exciting…will it be available online at some point – make sure to keep us updated!
How is this holiday different from previous ones? As I continue to try to grow my indie business and balance mom-hood to 8 & 12 YO boys as well as a full time teaching gig, the holidays are getting shorter and shorter shrift. Like, we haven’t decorated one iota yet. We’ll do the tree tomorrow, but I’ll bet we never get lights up.
I’m having a tough time carving out free time for my family, the hubby in particular – there are always more things I want to MAKE and more online venues I want to pursue. Sometimes, when I look at the bottom line, it seems like I’m getting paid like 25 cents an hour! But, fingers crossed, what I’m doing with my business is making a difference. Our finances have taken such a huge hit, that literally every cent we make should be going straight to some creditor or other, so I’ve vowed that the little bits of money I make with Candied Fabrics (that doesn’t go right back into the business) should be spent on FUN stuff! And as this year comes to a close, I’ve actually accumulated enough money in my separate business account that I’m buying Christmas presents with it! WooHoo!
So to sum up…keep what I’m doing with my Indie Business fun…make a wee bit of money at it…use it on fun things for the family…the end!
candy,
i think that’s a great observation re: cutting back on things like decorating to because of all the hats we are wearing as women this year. we’re decorated… but not at all as i expected or planned.
and, i don’t know if it’s the right way to do it, but i am right there with you using the indie biz money as the fun money. we learned we can survive on my husband’s salary but having my income allows for more flexibility in entertainment. and i’m paying for the christmas presents too! it’s been really gratifying and my husband appreciates it too!
thanks for joining the conversation!
so glad you gals had a chance to represent “moms experiencing financial strain” I think it all looks a little different from the lens of the independent business Woman. In a positive, unstoppable kind of way.
there is nothing like a “greater purpose” to ease our anxieties- like an indie craft business for example. I know all about the added stresses- but in some twisted way I think it really helps to call our own shots
not to mention all the amazing online opportunities for small indie business support- and great, AFFORDABLE holiday gifts!
Ok… I’ll stop, I love to think about these things too!
Congrats again! Looking forward to hearing it.
kate,
i totally agree that calling your own shots adds as much positive motivation as it does extra stress. i keep reminding my husband – and myself – if we need extra money, i go out there and push it harder than ever, find new clients, more a few more hours, and make the money we need.
when you’re working for the man, you rarely have that opportunity. same paycheck every week – or worse yet, your paycheck is based on the amount of hours ‘the man’ decides you’re going to work. doesn’t matter how much passion & energy you put into it!
thanks for joining the conversation!
oh! and sunday afternoon the segment should be available to listen to! i’ll be sure to post it here.
I just happened to stumble upon your blog and I am so thrilled that I did! This post is so relative to my life right now. I just recently started working part time to help us out financially. It is a great job and one that supports local artisans and handmade goods so I find it very rewarding on many levels. But, as nice as it is to enjoy what I do and make a little extra money to relieve some of our strain, we have found that we are not able to spend the quality time together as a family that we used to. My husband and I are both having to wear new hats and adjust to new responsibilities and schedules as is our 2 year old son! We can either be financially strained, but get to all be together, or we can live comfortably but miss out on goodnight kisses, family dinners and so many of our son’s “firsts”. I struggle with sacrificing the fun and memorable moments just so that we can pay the bills and stay afloat – especially during the holidays!