The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

A PC or Mac for boomers?

After putting up with my 10-year-old PC, updated five years ago, it was time for a new computer. I wanted a Mac, maybe a laptop, but I just couldn’t decide.

Right before the Comcast technician came to install my high speed Internet connection, I decided getting the new computer was a must. I was worried that there might not be enough room on my old computer for the Comcast software. If my computer crashed, I’d lose years of valuable writing -- articles, short stories, and screenplays.

A friend, also looking for a computer, mentioned if you lose your laptop, you’ve lost your files. Yikes! I decided on a table top.

I researched PCs and Macs on the Internet. I read  Consumer Reports. It said that more software is available for Windows computers than for Macs, but Apple repeatedly scores best in technical support and has been consistently reliable for desktops.

That did it. I’d had some trying technical assistance with AOL, so good technical support sounded like a plus. I headed to the nearest Apple Store, an hour’s drive away at Seattle’s South Center, and bought an iMac. I received great customer service.

Things are going pretty well. It’s great to be technically updated; being able to be on my computer and have the voice mail pick up my business calls is a big plus.

However, learning the Apple will take a bit of time. I think I’ll buy Windows for the Apple, since I’m used to using it for word processing. Pages is strange, although I’ve had a PhotoShop class and an InDesign class and finally remembered you can go back with Command X.

I did Internet research to find some articles on PCs versus Macs for this post. I found the Helium Web site, which has writers rate articles. And I saw discussions on Photo Talk Online and the Shelbyville (Tennessee) Times-Gazette.

Although everyone says this topic has been hotly debated, I had a hard time finding effective, up-to-date information. Have you seen any articles or reviews on PC versus Mac that you think are helpful to those debating what to buy? 

As to what’s best for boomers, it depends on a person’s needs and pocketbook. Thorough research is needed.

Making decisions about investments isn’t easy now

I’m going to see my financial planner tomorrow for my annual planning meeting. With the downturn in the stock market, my retirement investments haven’t been performing well in the past few months. It should be an interesting meeting as I figure out, with my financial planner, what to do.

Suze Orman said on CNN’s Larry King Live Sunday Jan. 27 that people concerned about their investments during these uneasy financial times should leave their investments where they are if they are in good stocks, mutual funds, or exchange traded funds. However, for those about to retire in five months to a year, they shouldn’t have been in the market to begin with, she added.

Orman suggests people pay off their credit card debts. She said the average American has credit card debts of $9,000 and pays 18 percent interest. Getting rid of that debt is a great “investment.”

However, Consumer Reports magazine recommends in “12 Money Mistakes That Can Cost You $1,000,000,” an article in its February 2008 issue, that retirees shouldn’t overlook some cautious investments in stocks during retirement.

I’ve found it helpful to have a financial planner to assist me with retirement planning. But you should be careful when select one.

For information on how to select a financial planner, see these tips on the Better Business Bureau Web site. For a list of certified financial planners in your area, see the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Web site.

Picking out a competent roofer is a challenge

A challenge this week is my new metal shingle roof, installed in September. The metal shingles were defective, so last week the roofer came to install new ones. The problem: they ran out of materials and left a six-foot by two-foot space at the top of the roof that wasn’t covered. The crew boss said the laminated plastic underlayment would prevent leaks. It didn’t. I had 20 leaks in my attic after a storm.

A friend came on the weekend to help me put a tarp over the hole. We didn’t want to get up on the roof because metal roofs are slick and easy to damage. We spent hours using ropes to try to position the tarp.

A roofer came to complete the work. He said installing the rest of the shingles will stop the leaking problem. I hope so. Leaking roofs are a huge problem.

Robert Krughoff, president of Consumers’ Checkbook magazine and the Center for the Study of Services, told me in an interview that consumers need to be cautious when hiring a roofer. “We hear too many roofing horror stories from our subscribers.” Problems can include poor workmanship, long waits for the job to be completed, work having to be redone, and uneven rows of shingles.

In an article, “Help from Above,” Checkbook rates roofers in the following areas: Boston, Chicago, Delaware Valley, Puget Sound, San Francisco, Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. The article appears in the Fall/Winter issue of Checkbook. If you subscribe to Checkbook, you can read the roofing article online. Or you can call 800-213-7283 to get a copy.

I also used the Better Business Bureau Yellow Pages to find roofers to ask for estimates. You can also ask friends and relatives for suggestions.

When selecting a roofer be sure to check the Better Business Bureau Web site to see if complaints have been filed against the firms you are considering. Your state Attorney General's Office also may have information.

Why a Boomer Guide?

Baby boomers face challenges as they strive to get ahead at work, attain optimal health, spend time with loved ones, enjoy hobbies and entertainment, and prepare for retirement.

This blog is a conversation among people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s about gathering information to help people make effective choices in their lives.

Americans born from 1946 through 1964, 76 million strong, are turning 62 this year. These baby boomers will be eligible for early retirement under Social Security.

Baby boomers have more education than their parents do, and they generally have better health and more money.

When surveyed, many baby boomers say they want to live different lives than their parents, expecting to work at least part time after they retire.

This blog will discuss topics such as workplace challenges, retirement, health care, computers, cell phones, stress reduction, volunteering, credit woes, depression, a healthy diet, exercise, frauds, downsizing, grandchildren, and relationships.

As a consumer specialist, I’ve studied consumer economics. As a journalist, I’ve written consumer columns and articles for newspapers in the West.

I look forward to this blog conversation on issues of importance to baby boomers. The blog will be updated five times a week, beginning next week. For the next couple of days, I’ll be getting my computer files transferred to my new i-Mac.