The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best consumer experience: Good customer service at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

When I went to a Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts store in Sacramento with my daughter to buy some material, we received good customer service.

We were looking for broadcloth for two children’s costumes. A sales associate, who we were able to locate quite quickly, showed us where to find it. She also explained what broadcloth is and what fabrics were similar.

The woman who cut out fabric also was courteous. She also told us about her job, her interest in sewing, and when and where Jo-Ann’s was founded.

When we checked out, the cashier was friendly.

All in all, a good consumer experience.

My worst consumer experience: Confusion about a tip at a coffee shop

While my daughter was at work, I went to Temple coffee shop in Sacramento to work on my blogs.

The first day was fine. Nice staff, good atmosphere, excellent hours.

However, on the second day, I had problems about the tip.

Temple doesn’t accept credit cards, only debit cards. And they charge 35 cents for the use of a debit card.

The clerk handed me the device used for making charges and told me the green screen was about the tip. I didn’t understand what he meant. I knew he wanted me to decide about a tip, but I hadn’t seen the “green screen” tip option and I didn’t know how to use it.

I typed in my security code. “No, no, no,” he said, deleting the information. Then I figured out I was supposed to enter information on the size of the tip.

I usually don’t give tips to clerks who stand behind a counter, unless it’s a coffee shop I go to regularly. Since an issue was being made about the tip, I entered 50 cents and went on to the next screens to compete the transaction.

The clerk was snappy and unfriendly. Not a good consumer experience.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Badly need credit card reforms pass the Senate today

Credit card companies are raking in billions of dollars from consumers in raised interest rates and fees.

A bill passed by the Senate today, HR 627, would provide more disclosures and restrict how fees and interest rates could be changed after consumers have obtained credit cards.

Consumer Reports Money blog offers the following summary of the bill’s provisions in the post “Senate Passed Credit Card Reform: What’s in It for Consumers”:

• Interest rates can’t be raised during the first year of an account. Customers will be notified 45 days in advance of any change in interest rates.

• Bills can be paid online or over the phone without incurring a processing fee.

• Customers must be over 60 days late on payments before their interest rate can be raised on balances; if the rate is raised, it will go back to the lower rate if customers make the minimum payment on time for six months in a row.

• Overlimit fees can’t be charged unless cardholders are told that the purchase will put them over their limit and they authorize it to go through anyway.

• If your card has more than one interest rate on balances, then payments must be applied to the highest interest rate first.

• Gift cards can’t expire for five years, and issuers can’t charge dormancy fees for unused amounts left on the card.

• Credit card statements must be mailed out 21 days before they’re due.

• Individuals under 21 will need a co-signer on their cards unless they can prove that they have the means to make payments on their own.

• Credit card agreements will have to be posted on the internet.

The American Banking Association doesn’t like some parts of HR 627.

“The goal in the legislation should be to obtain the right balance: providing protections, while maintaining the important role of credit cards in providing loans to consumers and small businesses,” said the association in a statement on the bill. “Unfortunately, we believe the bill does not achieve that balance and will therefore cause an unnecessary decrease in credit availability.

“Most importantly, this bill fundamentally changes the entire business model of credit cards by restricting the ability to price credit for risk. What has been a short-term revolving unsecured loan will now become a medium-term unsecured loan, which is significantly more risky…"

Senator Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said on his blog that consumers have the right not to be deceived, misled, or ripped off by unfair and arbitrary credit card industry practices that have become commonplace.

"Unfortunately, as the use of credit cards has soared, so too has the list of predatory practices, hidden fees and sudden interest rate hikes to which the industry has increasingly resorted – 'any time any reason' interest rate increases, 'double cycle billing' that charges interest on balances that the consumer has already paid, deceptive marketing to young people, and skyrocketing penalty interest rates, some as high as 32 percent.
 
"The industry has profited handsomely; between 2007 and 2008, credit card companies raised interest rates on nearly one out of every four accounts – 70 million cardholders in all who were charged $10 billion in extra interest.
 
"Put simply, this is an industry that has thrived in part on misleading its customers. Consumers should not have to live in fear that a clause buried in the fine print of their credit card contract might someday be their financial undoing."

In the next step, a compromise bill will be developed with the House, which passed a slightly different bill in April.

Then the compromise bill will go to President Obama for signature. The provisions could go into effect nine months after the president signs it.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

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I look forward to hearing from you so we can discuss how baby boomers can make smart consumer choices.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide celebrates its first anniversary

The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide is now one year old!

It’s been an amazing year. It’s fun to do research and writing about baby boomers.
 
I’ve learned so much. And I’ve “met” so many interesting and wonderful people who’ve read my blog and given me tips and feedback.

When I decided to become a blogger, I wanted to offer a place where boomer consumers could obtain information to help them get what they want in their lives.

After 288 posts and 271 comments about boomers, we’ve been able to create the conversation place that I’d hoped for. Thank you so much for your interest and support.

To celebrate the first anniversary of this blog, I’d like to share with you some of the comments I’ve received from readers. That’s what blogging is all about; learning and interacting in this new world-wide communication era.

Here are readers’ comments:

General

• GREAT Blog!  Full of excellent and useful information! Phil

• Thanks for a well written blog. I enjoyed browsing through it. I love how the Internet brings us all together… Marilyn

• I stopped by your blog and am really impressed... Beverly Mahone
  

• What a resource. Love your blog... Nana Connie

• I was very impressed with your blog... Stephanie Stangl

• Rita, I read all your posts -- like your flow and timing and content. I didn’t know about your extensive journalism background. Fun -- thanks for putting yourself out there! Paul Knox

• I'll be a regular reader of your blog.  Very cool! Jan

Consumers

• Wow - This is a great site for information about consumer information. Joe

• Great list [on the top consumer stories of 2008]. The economy tops it all, doesn't it. James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

• Great list of resources [on green Web sites]. I added a few of them to my own required reading list. Birney Summers

• Excellent post/article [on Martin Luther King Jr.], Rita. Fitting for this inaugural week that features the swearing in of our first African American President and the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr., also. Marvin D. WilsonM

Boomers

• What a comprehensive post [on baby boomer women and holiday spending]. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I will be back often. Rosie

Holidays

• Great suggestions [on surviving Thanksgiving Day with relatives].and sometimes we forget the reason for Thanksgiving...Be grateful for all we have...and then some. Carol Stanley

Retirement

• These are some very good tips [on using retirement planning techniques in this financial crisis]. So many boomers are having to delay their retirement due to the current state of the economy – these tips come in very handy! ... Isabella Coldivar

Food

• Thanks to your post [on the best containers to store food in]. I've checked all of my plastic containers. Luckily they are all No. 5 plastic! Lisa

• This [article on becoming a vegetarian] is fantastic! … K.T.

Housing

• You do a great job of breaking down this decision [on purchasing windows] into its integral parts. Many times the wrong window is selected because people don't know what to exactly look for; but if the steps you outlined are followed, the proper window can be selected with ease. Utah Windows

Health

• Totally! I've been using acupuncture for years. The first time I ever had a treatment, I had suffered with chronic pain for years. One treatment and it was gone forever! I love acupuncture and recommend it to everyone. Rhea

• This is a helpful post [on finding a qualified provider for testing and fitting before you buy a hearing aid] as was the earlier one on hearing loss. This gave me some insight as to why my mom had such a difficult time with the hearing aids she was given. She never took the time to retrain the brain. Mary

• Great tips [on flattening your belly instantly]. I've (almost) given up diet soda, although I fall off the wagon two to three times a month, but I used to be a two-diet coke a day consumer. And I find peppermint tea soothing. Beth

Travel

• Being amongst the oldest Boomers myself I was delighted to discover your blog. Although I live in England, we post War babies are facing the same challenges wherever we live. Thanks for relating your daughter's home exchange experiences and also for drawing attention to the tips from the Independent Traveler. I have been running Home Base Holidays from London since 1985... Cheers, Lois Sealey

Thanks again for your support. I'm looking forward to more exciting boomer consumer research, writing, and conversation.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

List makers, media ignore consumers in end-of-year round ups

It really surprised me. I looked all over the internet for articles or posts on the top consumer stories of 2008. I looked on ConsumerAffairs.com. I checked out ConsumerReports.org. I tried the Web sites of the Better Business, AARP, The Consumerist, and Public Citizen. No luck.

 

I even bought The List Issue, Time magazine’s Dec. 22 issue. Among the dozens of lists were the top 10 discoveries, financial meltdowns, break ups, medical breakthroughs, U.S. lottery jackpots, most memorable Olympic moments, campaign slogans, movies, and bank slogans. But no listing of top consumer stories for 2008.

 

A Google search did turn up a couple of articles – on the top consumer stories in Canada.

 

This lack of interest in consumer stories shows how consumers are viewed in the USA. Consumers are supposed to spend money and keep the vast, inflated American economy going.Little thought is given to individual consumers and how they live their daily lives – these days often in a state of worry and distress about the basics of housing and jobs.

Since list makers and the media have ignored consumers this year, I developed my own list. See my article “Top 10 Consumer Stories of 2008.”

So Happy New Year to boomer consumers everywhere. I hope 2009 brings a richer, more sustainable economy and life for us all.

 

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

People love, hate their flip-flops

When New York Times blogger Tara Parker-Pope wrote a post on "Flip-Flops May Lead to Foot Pain," she received 200 comments on her blog Well from people who loved and hated their flip-flops.

In her post, Parker-Pope reported on research from Auburn University in Alabama that looked at the biomechanics of the flip-flop. The study determined that wearing thong-style flip-flops can result in sore feet, ankles, and legs.

In a follow-up post, "The Well Podcast: More About Flip-Flops," she interviewed Elizabeth Semmelhack, curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, about the history of flip-flops and other footware and why footwear inspires such passion.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

How to remove dandelions naturally

While I’ve been busy blogging this spring, dandelions have been busy growing in my yard.

What to do?

The Washington Toxics Coalition recommends removing them by hand to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals.

Dandelions are a common perennial weed that invades both lawns and gardens, according to the coalition’s publication “Weed Management for the Lawn and Garden.”

They’re established through wind-dispersed seed. A thick taproot stores food reserves.

When hand digging, make sure that the whole root of the dandelion is removed.

If you have a large lawn, the coalition suggests using a tool that allows you to pull the roots rapidly while you stand up.

If the root breaks while pulling, which happens frequently, the plant can resprout from the piece remaining in the soil.

To reduce the spread of dandelions, the flowers shouldn’t be allowed to go to seed, according to the coalition’s weed management guide. Mow frequently to keep the flowers from maturing.

In lawns, the removal of dandelion plants leaves small bare areas where new weed seed can germinate. Be sure to spread a little grass seed in those spots to prevent the dandelion from growing again.

That’s too much work you say? Studies show that children and pets that use lawns where pesticides are applied have higher rates of cancer.

When I read these studies about 10 years ago, I thought the use of pesticides in home lawns and gardens would be reduced. However, pesticides are still being sold in record amounts in attractive packages and bottles in home and garden stores, big box stores, drug stores, and supermarkets.

If you’re too busy to pull dandelions by hand, try hiring a neighborhood teenager.

One project I’d like to undertake is to create a Youth Corp to work on hand weed removal so that harmful pesticides don’t need to be used.

Last weekend, I helped a friend pull dandelions by hand to help get ready for a garden party. We’ll be at it again this weekend. See upper photo.

My dandelions aren’t as bad as hers. Hers are tough, with three to five dandelions in each cluster. The leaves on my dandelions are tender and easier to pull. See lower photo.

I’ve been concerned about pesticide exposure since I was a child. Growing up in Central Washington, I was sprayed with pesticide drift from airplanes when I was walking down the road. I also thinned apples as a teen in trees that were dripping with pesticides.

My dad, Minor H. Slingsby, died in 1990 at age 80 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a lymphatic system cancer. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is linked to pesticide exposure. My dad was an apple farmer.

I learned about this link from a story on National Public Radio a few months after my dad had been diagnosed. A story reported increasing numbers of farm worker children, who were in the fields with their parents, were developing the disease.

In additional owning a small apple orchard in Central Washington, my dad was the field manager for a large apple farming operation. He was in charge of the spray crews. One of his jobs was to shake the residue out of the sacks of pesticides after the crews had finished with them. Then he burned the sacks.

If you’re currently using pesticides on your yard, you may want to find out more information about them.

The Pesticide Action Network North America has a Pesticide Info Database that you can use to find out about the health effects of pesticides and regulatory information.

The network's Web site also has other helpful information about pesticides.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Boomer consumer blogger meets with writers, despite another late spring, Pacific Northwest snow storm

I couldn’t believe it when I looked out my window this morning. Snow, again. And again, I was headed north.

This time it wasn’t as bad as our trip three weeks ago to Bellingham.

By the time I got dressed and went outside to take photos, the snow was melting rapidly.

So I thought, I’ll take a chance and go to the luncheon for the Washington Press Association at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

It was a great event. The purpose of the luncheon was to present awards for the association’s 2007 Communications Contest.

I received a first place award for the newsletter About Growth that I edited for the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. The column I wrote for people 50-plus for The News Tribune in Tacoma, Wash., garnered a second place award.

What fun. I enjoyed getting together with other writers and learning about their work in the last year. It was great for the boomer consumer blogger to get out of the house and away from the computer screen for a while.

I also enjoyed taking photos of the airplanes in the Museum of Flight. It was a good chance to practice photographing backlighted subjects.

 

The roads were good. As I returned to Olympia about 5 p.m., we had rain mixed with snow. I didn’t have any problems, but one unfortunate driver spun out of control, hurtled across the median strip, and came to rest just beyond the edge of the fast lane on the other side of the freeway. It didn’t look like a big smashup occurred, but the traffic was stopped for miles.

I certainly hope this is it for my snow photos. We had to take off our snow tires in Washington on April 5, so I don’t want to do any driving in snow conditions.

Your Boomer Guide Is a Month Old Now

Dear Readers,

Thank you for your support as I've launched The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide. It's a fun experience, learning how to be a blogger.

I've appreciated your suggestions: shorter posts, larger type, and include photos. I'll be adding more photos as I develop the technical skills in TypePad.

Please continue to give me your suggestions on topics to blog about. I've appreciated feedback to write about airlines, grandparenting, and warm weather places to retire.

You'll be seeing a couple of changes. I'll be asking guest bloggers to contribute a post occasionally. And I'll be putting ads on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide. Probably books from Amazon.com.

Keep in touch,
Rita Robison