January 2010: Financial New Year’s Resolutions
News
Happy new year, biz kid! We’ve got lots of exciting stuff in the works this year, including at least six new episodes! To check for local showtimes just enter your zip code on our homepage
Thanks to everyone who participated in our December survey. We have made The Vault a bit more streamlined and emphasized the things readers like best.
Make the New Year Meaningful
Lots of people make new years resolutions–it’s the perfect time to get a fresh start on something you care about. How about making a few shifts in your biz life for the new year?
Tips for setting financial goals
  • Make it something you really care about.
  • Make it something you can see progress on.
  • Make it achievable: “save $10 more a month” instead of “be a millionaire by 2011.”
  • Set a reward to give yourself when you achieve your goal.
  • Write down your resolution, seal it in an envelope, and when 2011 rolls around, get it out and see how you did!
A few ideas to get you started
  • Start saving. For financial results that will last much longer than just one year, start saving a little more. If you’re not saving anything, make an easy goal–say, 10% of every paycheck. To calculate 10%, just move the decimal point one place to the left. So, if your allowance or paycheck is $15.00, put away $1.50. Open an interest-bearing checking or savings account and watch your balance grow!
  • Make a budget. Budgeting is one of the most effective ways to reach your financial goals. Tally up what you spend each month on specific types of things–food, clothing, cell phone, transportation, and so on. This can help you become more aware of what you spend your money on and help you make better decisions. Then, set limits for what you want to spend each month on each category and try to stick to those limits.
  • Build your biz skills. There are lots of skills that go into being a good businessperson or building a high-paying career. Take some extra math classes, or see if you can take a community college class or online class in accounting or bookkeeping. These topics may not seem glamorous, but real skills are what separate the dreamers from the doers.
Biz Kid of the Month: Amanda Powers
We thought we’d showcase a Biz Kid near and dear to our hearts–Amanda Powers, one of the hosts on the show! Amanda talked to us about her big break in acting, what she learned, and her goals for the future.

How did you get interested in acting?
I love going on stage and being able to portray a different character. Also, when you’re working together as a cast you get really close and that is fun. And, I like having a positive impact on the world.

Did you feel like you accomplished that?
Definitely–when I would babysit, parents would tell me how much their kids learned from the show.

How did you get started acting on Biz Kid$?
I did quite a bit of theater through high school, and that’s wehere I got involved in Biz Kid$. They had an audition in my town. When I got a call back and was one of the 10 kids chosen to be on the show, it was really surreal; so was seeing my face on TV, at first!

What did you learn from the experience?
So many people work together to put the show together and everybody’s contribution counts: the makeup, the hair, the lights, the sound. It’s a lot of work!

Any advice for kids who want to break into the acting field?
It took me a long time before I got an opportunity. I started out just in the choruses of plays with no lines, but my parents kept telling me to keep trying and I’d get an opportunity. Some actors get agents, but I didn’t. The most important thing is to get involved any way you can–theater organizations, school, and audition opportunities. You have to keep putting yourself out there.

Were there specific advantages or disadvantages to being a young person in this field of work?
It was really great that I got to do it professionally at a younger age because it helped me realize that it’s not actually what I want to do! It was a lot of fun, but if I was going to stay in that field I’d like to direct.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m in college now, studying human services with a minor in theater arts. Currently I work as a caregiver for people who have dementia. I’m interested in helping people.

Any other thoughts?
Believe in yourself and never give up!
Posted in Biz Kid$ News