The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Suicide, secrets, menopause, midlife creativity, and effective shopping are the topics for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs

Photo: JoJan

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty is the host for the Best of Boomer Blogs #299.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

As the Ides of March, the day Caesar was assassinated, approaches the subjects for the Best of Boomer Blogs seem to be turning toward more serious.

Boomer bloggers are writing about the search for meaning in midlife, menopausal mood swings, how to tap into the sacred feminine spirit for wisdom and healing, and ways to be a more effective shopper.

Be sure to check back next week to see what baby boomer bloggers are thinking and writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Six ways to be a better shopper

It’s National Consumer Protection Week.

Government agencies, consumer organizations, and advocacy groups are joining forces March 3 to 9 with shopping strategies and consumer tips to empower you to make better buying decisions and protect your rights in the marketplace.

Sales pitches and financial advice come at you from every direction – by phone, by mail, and every time you read an ad, go online, or turn on your TV.

Here are six tips from the USA.gov blog to help you sort through all the pitches:

• A free mobile app can help you check any product or vehicle, new or used, to see if it’s been recalled or has safety complaints. Keep up with recent recalls of things you may have around the house or check on that great thrift shop bargain before you buy. Use the Recalls.gov app and mobile site to search by product type and brand name

• When your wallet is lost or stolen, there are eight steps you need to take right away. A thief won’t waste time trying to cash in on your loss. Learn now so you’ll be ready to protect your identity and your credit as soon as your wallet goes missing.

• A new federal agency is working to eliminate deceptive and unfair lending practices. Established in 2010, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau works to make sure providers of mortgages, credit cards, student loans, and banking services market their products honestly, clearly, and legally. Learn more about their work, and their simple tips for protecting yourself.

• Scammers see tough economic times as an opportunity. Job scams are abundant, as swindlers “guarantee” you an unadvertised job, try to get you to pay for their placement services, or tell you that you can get rich by working from home. Learn more about financial scams and saving money at the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer.gov.

• There’s a formula for complaining effectively. If you’re not satisfied with a product or service, use the Consumer Action Handbook’s sample complaint letter to let the company know where they went wrong and how you want them to fix it. To get the free Handbook or its Spanish counterpart, la Guía del Consumidor, visit the consumer protection sections of USA.gov or GobiernoUSA.gov.

You can get consumer questions answered during a special National Consumer Protection Week online Q&A session.

USA.gov will connect you with government resources to answer your questions during a live event on Wednesday, March 6 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST. You can find out about the latest scams, how to protect your family from identity theft, and more. 

To participate, submit your questions during the event on Twitter using the hashtag #NCPW.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Retirement, midlife, and emotional clarity are topics for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs

Laura Lee Carter of the Midlife Crisis Queen is the host of the Best of Boomer Blogs #298.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

 The sun is shining here in the Seattle area, and the crocuses are looking beautiful, with tulips beginning their journey to beauty.

 As spring looms, boomer bloggers have a lot to say.

They’re writing about that only half of Americans are prepared for retirement, midlife journeys and discoveries, looking back to the 1970s, and emotional clarity.

 Be sure to check back next week to see what baby boomer bloggers are thinking and writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Movies, midlife, the economy, retirement, and travel are topics for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs

Sara Cornell of The Blue Blinds Blog is the host for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs #297.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

As cold winds blow, and even blizzards rage, boomer bloggers have a lot to say.

They’re writing about movies for grownups, midlife changes and lessons, how the economy affects boomers, delayed retirement, and life in the Middle East.

In addition to my blog, other members of The Best of Boomer Blogs are: The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings Over 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, Blue Blinds, Life After Marriage, and Tao Flashes.

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

This week’s Best of Boomer Blogs offers information on travel, resilience, investments, positive living, and corporate settlements

I’m the host for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs #296.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

As we experience the last throws of winter, boomer bloggers have a lot on their minds.

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty just got home from his Snowbird trip to Florida. In his article, “It Drives Me Crazy,” he relates some of his experiences on the road. Hint: Stay away from Washington, D.C.

Laura Lee Carter, of the Midlife Crisis Queen, writes that perhaps you didn't know, but you have the option to become more optimistic at any age, and there are many benefits. Let Laura Lee teach you what she's learned about the Science of Optimism and Resilience.

This week the United Arab Emirates newspapers reported that users of TripAdvisor ranked the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque No. 16 on the list of the top most talked about attractions in the world. It joins the ranks of such iconic global sites as Sydney Harbor, the Coliseum in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and Central Park in New York City. Arabian Tales Katie Foster explains what makes this mosque so special.

John Agno at So Baby Boomer warns market perversity is on display, as both boomer bulls and bears are suffering their own special water torture.

Sara Cornell of Blue Blinds Media talks about the importance of staying focused on the present in the article “The Present Tense.”

On my blog, I let consumers know about two big corporate settlements:

Transocean Deepwater Inc. pleaded guilty to a violation of the Clean Water Act for its illegal conduct leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and was sentenced to pay $400 million in criminal fines and penalties.

After nearly five years of litigation, a settlement was announced on behalf of investors totaling $688 million in class actions against Merck & Co. Inc., Schering-Plough Corp., and Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals.

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

This week’s Best of Boomer Blogs features information on food, advertising, midlife humility, clutter, and the recession

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty is the host for this week’s The Best of Boomer Blogs #295.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

This week February offering, boomer bloggers are writing about the best chef in Dubai, manipulative advertising, humility at midlife, a survey that shows more couples fight about a messy house than money, and boomers as worst hit by the Great Recession and its grim aftermath.

Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are leading corporations, serving as governmental officials, heading up non-profits, worrying about retirement, and experiencing layoffs at a higher rate than younger workers. They’re also reinventing themselves in trying economic times, with some looking for their dream jobs to keep them happy in retirement.

At each stage in their lives, boomers have changed things. They’re continuing to make America different as they begin entering into their retirement years.

 In addition to my blog, other members of The Best of Boomer Blogs are: The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings Over 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, Blue Blinds, Life After Marriage, and Tao Flashes.

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

This week’s Best of Boomer Blogs offers comments on population growth, television, travel, and the meaning of mid-life.

John Agno of So Baby Boomer is the host for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs #294.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

This week, boomer bloggers are writing about population growth, how to buy a television, travel to Florida, and the meaning of mid-life.

Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are leading corporations, serving as governmental officials, heading up non-profits, worrying about retirement, and experiencing layoffs at a higher rate than younger workers. They’re also reinventing themselves in trying economic times, with some looking for their dream jobs to keep them happy in retirement.

At each stage in their lives, boomers have changed things. They’re continuing to make America different as they begin entering into their retirement years.

In addition to my blog, other members of The Best of Boomer Blogs are: The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings From 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, Blue Blinds, and Life After Marriage.

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

This week’s Best of Boomer Blogs offers information on dementia, suicide, travel, sleeplessness, consumer issues, and food

Katie Foster of Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures is the host for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs #293.

The baby boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

For this installment, boomer bloggers are writing about staving off cognitive decline, suicide as a taboo topic, sleeplessness, President Obama’s support for consumer issues, travel, and Thai food.

In addition to my blog, other members of The Best of Boomer Blogs are: The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings From 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, Blue Blinds, and Life After Marriage.

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

This week’s Best of Boomer Blogs focuses on investments, communication, health, travel, organization, and midlife challenges

Laura Lee Carter at the Midlife Crisis Queen is this week’s host for The Best of Boomer Blogs.

Formerly called the Blogging Boomer Carnival, our blog roundup now has a new name, The Best of Boomer Blogs. It's the #292^nd offering of the boomer blogging group.

The boomer blog roundup is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

This week’s offerings include links to articles on investment myths, what boomer guys talk about, the effects of soda on health, travels in Dubai, getting organized, and the search for meaning in midlife.

In addition to my blog, other members of the Blogging Boomer Carnival are: The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings From 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, and Life After Marriage.

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Sugar addiction, Medicare, Social Security, charities, grandchildren, and divorce are topics for this week’s Blogging Boomer Carnival

Katie Foster of Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures is the host for Blogging Boomer Carnival #291.

For this after Christmas carnival, SoBabyBoomer offers a special holiday gift, the Midlife Crisis Queen discusses holiday sugar addiction and resulting obesity, and Tom Sightings is wondering who’s going to pay for our Medicare and Social Security.

In addition, The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide provides helpful tools to research charities and Life After Married’s Sara Cornwell compares the demise of a long-term relationship with an impending car crash. And, Arabian Tales’ Katie Foster departs from her Arabian adventures to recount a New York City adventure with her granddaughter in “Making Memories, A Grandmother’s Gift.”

Be sure to stop by again next week to see what our baby boomer bloggers are writing about.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist