The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

What to look for at this year’s Memorial Day sales

Planning to hit the stores on Memorial Day weekend to look for great bargains?

Many times, holiday sales are a lot of hype with savings just average.

However, dealnews.com is reporting that Memorial Day is different for a few product categories.

For the past two years, dealnews.com has seen many retailers offer respectable sales that feature sizable stacking coupons. In many cases, these extra discounts were the best dealnews.com had seen so far that year. In fact, 50 percent of Memorial Day branded discounts from 2010 and 2011 were the best it had seen since that February, if not earlier.

What makes up the bulk of those "best of the year" offers?

Sales from apparel retailers and a few home goods stores top the list. The hottest sales from last year, for example, included discounts from Perry Ellis, Last Call Neiman Marcus, ShopEcko, Designer Living, Pottery Barn, and West Elm.

Memorial Day weekend sales are timed well if you're looking for clothes, as spring apparel is already starting to see late-season discounts. A large stacking coupon will make for some good bargains. Expect to see promotion codes that take up to an extra 50 percent off, but more regularly an additional 30 percent to 40 percent off.

However, despite the good news within the apparel category, that doesn't mean all Memorial Day weekend sales are great. It's always an awkward period for electronics and summer-specific items such as patio furniture and grills will see better discounts the longer you wait in the season.

So, as you prepare to shop at one of the many Memorial Day weekend sales, first consider what you're looking to buy. Apparel is more likely to see the best discounts. But, in order to know whether that sale or coupon is something special or about average, check the comparison information that dealnews.com offers.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Last-minute Mother’s Day gifts for your mom

By Rita R. Robison

Mother's Day is Sunday, and it's crunch time to get mom that perfect gift.

It’s getting too late to order from the Internet, but you can check out dealnews.com for ideas and to see what stores are offering bargains and coupons.

If you still haven’t bought Mom a gift, dealnews.com advises avoiding the traditional. That’s because, for the past two years, dealnews.com has seen a lot of jewelry styles actually increase in price at the beginning of May.

Your favorite department or discount store may be offering good last-minute bargains. Here are some examples:

Sears

• 50 percent off spring clothing.
• Up to 75 percent off on jewelry, plus 20 percent off diamonds and gemstones.
• Save 15 percent on Teleflora orders with use of your Sears card by using promo code: MOM15.

RitzPix

• 8 x 10 photos for $1 each.
• 20 percent off personalized photo books.

Nordstrom

• Jewelry, clothing, sleep wear, summer hats, purses, belts, scarves, and cosmetics suggestions for mom for under $50.

FTD

• Up to 25 percent off on Mother’s Day orders of flowers.

Best wishes with your last-minute shopping. And, I hope you and your mom have a good time on Mother’s Day, if you live close enough to visit her on her special day.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Spring apparel, candy to send Easter sales past $16 billion, survey says

Americans will spend an average of $145 on everything from apparel and candy to food and decorations this year, up 11 percent from $131 last year. Total spending is expected to reach $16.8 billion.

“Though the price of gas is on everyone’s mind, Easter is one of the few holidays some consumers are willing to stretch their budgets, especially because many children look forward to treats and new outfits on Easter morning,” said National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay.

Consumers celebrating Easter want to buy for candy and new spring clothes, according to a federation survey.

Nearly half will head to the stores to take advantage of spring sales on fashions and accessories, with total spending on those items expected to reach $3 billion. Most, 89 percent, will buy more than $2 billion on traditional favorites such as chocolate eggs and jelly beans. The average person will spend more on these items as well: $26 on apparel, up from $22 last year, and $20 on candy, up from $19 last year.

Americans are also set to spend more on their Easter meals with the average person expected to spend $44, up from $40 last year for a total $5.1 billion. In addition, consumers will spend an average of $21 on gifts for their friends and family, $11 on flowers, and $9 on decorations for their home and office. Half will buy greeting cards, spending an average of $7.

More than half of tablet owners celebrating Easter will use their device to research products and purchase gifts and other merchandise. In addition, 43 percent of smartphone owners celebrating Easter will use their mobile device to research and/or purchase items.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What interests you on Presidents’ Day? Finding bargains, traveling, or celebrating America?

By Rita R. Robison

It’s a strange custom. The holiday to honor two great presidents and the history of our country is becoming one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

However, if you want to shop rather than contemplate history, President’s Day sales do offer consumers great deals on cars, furniture, clothing, suits, handbags, and white goods. Prices on some items, such clothing, are better than Black Friday. For cars, it’s the biggest sale of the year.

To keep from making “sale fever” mistakes, follow these tips:

• Make a list of what you’re looking for.
• Compare prices. Check the Internet for what’s up in sale prices before you hit the mall.
• Start early so you can get the sale items in your size before they’re gone.
• Use apps that scan bar codes to see what others are selling the item for.
• Look for coupons on sites such as RetailMeNot before you go.
• Check social media sites, especially Facebook, because companies may be advertising their sales there first.
• Look for travel deals. You can still get big savings and there’s lots to do in historical cities such as Washington, D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.

If you want to do some serious thinking about Presidents’ Day, see “Presidents’ Day Is a Time to Help America Move Foreword.”

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Super Bowl 2012: More violent, sexist ads

By Rita R. Robison

Ads during Sunday’s Super Bowl cost $3.5 million for a 30-second spot, up from last year's $2.7 million.

Although the 2012 offerings seemed to have fewer ads where people were slapped or knocked down, the display again was marred by violent images.

Do advertisers and public relations firms think it’s acceptable to show ads depicting violence and sexism, where people head butted and bikini-clad women are shown because mostly men watch football?

Here are my awards for the worst ads airing during this year’s Super Bowl:

Unnecessary violence:

Dannon thinks it will sell yogurt by having a woman head butt a man, knocking him to the floor, after he won’t share the container of yogurt. In a Doritos ad, a man suspects his dog of killing and burying the family cat. The dog gives him a bag of Doritos to keep it quiet. The Voice stars think by fighting, breaking things, blasting out a wall, and having Betty White say a few words, you’ll watch their TV show. A sexy woman slaps a man, speaks in Spanish, whispers in his ear, dabs foam from a latte on a his lips, then it all melts away into the first time sensations of buying a Fiat 500.

Silliest:

Cars.com showed us a man so confident about researching cars on Cars.com that he’s grown an appendage with his head on it that comes out of his back. It’s his “confidence,” singing happily about the car in a high voice. Coke’s polar bear ads, one featuring a bear trying to keep the Coke away from the other bears, seemed silly. You have the best minds in the country working on these ads. Couldn’t they have come up with something meaningful? I also thought the Chevy Sonic ad was silly, with a car skydiving and bungee jumping. Bud Light focused on the silly again this year, with a dog fetching beer from the refrigerator and other places, attracting women along the way.

Instead of violent Snickers ads showing Betty White being tackled in a backyard football game during or Roseanne Barr being downed by a huge log, Mars made a big deal this year about introducing a new M&M with a chocolate colored shell, Ms. Brown. A partygoer accused her of being naked, and Mr. Red whipped off his shell.

Most sexist:  

Teleflora may have hit an all time low with a sexy woman getting dressed, then saying through red-pursed lips, “Give and you shall receive.” Go Daddy.com takes two guys to the “cloud” populated with scantily clad women. The McLendon Hardware offering shows a father giving advice to his son before his wedding. It sounds like it’s going to be sexual information about what he should learn to do to please his wife, but instead it’s about getting good tools. In “A Dream Car for Life,” Kia uses a scantily clad flag girl and fills the stands bikini clad women. H&M spent 30 seconds slowly moving over David Beckham’s tattooed body, and briefly, his briefs.

Most irritating:

GE’s offered several ads to pump up the company’s image. If GE was going to spend that kind of money, they should have thought of something interesting.

Unfortunately, the Super Bowl featured ad after ad for violent movies, which along with the violent ads and player clashes, added to the overemphasis on violence. Among the movies advertised were “John Carter,” “Star Wars – Episode 1 in 3-D,” “The Avengers,” “G.I. Joe,” and “Act of Valor.”

For more information on the best and worse Super Bowl ads, see The Wall Street Journal’s “Super Bowl Ads 2012.” To vote for your favorite ads, go to NBC Sports Network’s “Super Bowl Admeter.”

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Levels of cadmium reduced in jewelry for kids, adults by some retailers

By Rita R. Robison

To protect yourself and your children and grandchildren from the dangers of cadmium in jewelry, shop for jewelry at more than a dozen major jewelry retailers, including Saks Inc., Target, The Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Forever 21, that have stopped selling jewelry containing more than 0.03 percent or 300 parts per million of cadmium.

In September, an Alameda County Superior Court in California approved a legal agreement between the Center for Environmental Health and the retailers. The agreement sets strict limits on cadmium in jewelry, stricter than those suggested by the federal government.

“We welcome this strong action, which will protect our children and families from the health risks of an unnecessary hazard in jewelry,” said Michael Green, executive director of the center, said in a statement. “Importantly, the companies are going beyond California law in agreeing to instruct their suppliers to provide them with reformulated jewelry on a nationwide basis.”

In February 2010, the center initiated the legal action after finding high levels of cadmium in jewelry. Earlier in 2010, the center reached its first agreement limiting cadmium in jewelry with Tween Brands, a division of Dress Barn. That settlement also called for no more than 0.03 percent cadmium in jewelry and was effective on Dec. 31.

While the settlements apply only to the jewelry sold in California stores, the retailers agreed to adopt the approach nationwide, the center said. It would be financially and logistically difficult to separate their products for a California-only market.

The settlements took effect just weeks after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said it was satisfied with an alternative voluntary approach that the industry helped craft for jewelry marketed to children using the government’s scientific research, according to The Washington Post article “Cadmium-Laced Jewelry Removed From Stores.” There is no federally endorsed standard for adult jewelry.

The standard that the commission helped craft is limited to jewelry marketed to children12 and younger because that’s the age group that is most likely to suck on jewelry or swallow it.

The center said the approach backed by the commission doesn’t cast a wide enough net or embrace the toughest standards.

The Washington Post article also reported the commission-endorsed standard also would adopt a different testing method:

It also would test to determine that total cadmium content in a piece of jewelry doesn’t exceed 0.03 percent. But jewelry that fails that test could still make its way onto store shelves if it passes a separate “solubility” test.

This far more expensive test aims to determine if cadmium would leach into the body when swallowed. For a small metal part, the test entails dropping the piece into acid heated to about body temperature and shaking it for 24 hours – conditions meant to replicate the digestive process.

The industry said this second test is necessary because it’s more reliable and gives better of results. Instead of testing for how much cadmium is in the jewelry, it tests for how much cadmium would actually be absorbed into the body, which is what matters most from a safety perspective, said Brent Cleaveland, executive director of the Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association and head of the panel that crafted the voluntary standard.

If the cadmium doesn’t leach out, then it poses no health risks and therefore couldn’t be regulated by the commission because it can’t be defined as a hazardous substance.

But the center said that total content testing is less costly and more health protective because it:

• Is more consistent and doesn’t vary as much as a product ages, thus protecting children and adults for the life of the product.
• Can be included in specifications that manufacturers require their materials suppliers to meet. Non-compliant materials can be identified before they’re used in the manufacture of a product, resulting in a more efficient manufacturing process and consistently health-protective products.
• Is already required by federal children’s products law for lead for toys and children’s jewelry. Test results for cadmium can usually be obtained from the same test for no additional expense.
• Is cheaper and less time-consuming than leach tests for products not already tested for lead under federal law.

Cadmium is a heavy metal that can cause cancer, genetic damage, and kidney damage, according to the center. A study published in March 2011 found that children who mouth on or swallow cadmium-tainted jewelry can be exposed to as much as 100 times the maximum exposure limit.

Also, a 2006 study concluded that exposure in children "should be limited as much as possible" to prevent direct health problems and problems later in their lives. People can be exposed to cadmium if they touch, suck on, or accidentally swallow metal pieces, and studies show the toxin can stay in our bodies for more than two decades.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

By Rita R. Robison

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: A good price on Christmas gifts from the Gap

I’ve been using guest posts from dealnews.com on my blogs, so when I needed to order some Christmas presents, I decided to check its website to see if I could find some bargains. I found a coupon for the Gap that offered 30 percent off, even on sale items.

I selected a sweatshirt and a sweater for a reduced price. I received free shipping, too.

My worst: Difficulty finding a present for someone on a special diet

I wanted to buy my niece and her husband a coffee basket for a Christmas present. However, I couldn’t find a basket without cookies or crackers. They’re on a special diet that doesn’t include sugar or carbs.

I spent hours looking. Finally, on Amazon.com, I saw that the people who were looking for coffee baskets also shopped for Spanish wine. I decided to order three bottles of the wine from Wine.com.

I was satisfied with the choice. However, it was expensive to ship – $15.65. You couldn’t get free shipping unless your order was $100 or more. So much for freeshipping.com’s listings.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

By Rita R. Robison

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: Getting half off on a Christmas gift

My sister and I went up to Bellingham to visit our older sister and her family.

We wanted to get her a Christmas present, so we stopped by Fred Meyer. Although the Black Friday sales were over at 11 a.m., we were able to her two fleece sweaters and two pairs of pajamas for half off. A nice Black Friday surprise.

My worst: A high utility bill

When I went to pay my utility bill at city hall, I couldn’t figure out why it was about $40 more than usual. I was concerned about an incorrect meter reading, because I’d had a complaint about that before. I didn’t think it had been resolved satisfactorily.

The utility clerk said she’d noticed the significant increase and sent the meter reader out to see if there was a leak. No evidence of one was found.

When we went over the dates involved, I figured it out. Before I had my fence stained, the paint company pressure washed it. I also spent a many hours washing the dirt off the fence before they began. I wondered at the time if it would make my water bill go up.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What are great Halloween costumes for baby boomers this year?

By Rita R. Robison

With Halloween costumes getting more and more risqué and bazaar, what’s a good, age-appropriate costume for baby boomers to wear to upcoming parties?

Kate Forgach, a baby boomer consumer writer for Kinoli Inc., offers these suggestions:

Men

Muammar Gaddafi

You'll need a black curly wig, red fez, checked scarf, and homemade T-shirt emblazoned with "I Love Libya." If you're going with a gang, add a few Nigerian soldiers to do your bidding throughout the evening. You also might want to carry a journal filled with love notes to Condoleeza Rice and several photos of the former Secretary of State.

Zach Galifianakis in Hangover II

A fake beard and a baldhead or bathing cap are all you'll need to recreate Mr. Alan Garner.

Hangover II - Part II

If you're dressing as Zach and going with a buddy, he'll need to create a Mayan face tattoo then add wire rim glasses and stodgy clothes to give him the unique style of Ed Helms as Stu Price. The last member of your wolf pack need only wear khakis, a white dress shirt, and look dashingly handsome.

Harold Camping

Harold Camping predicted the world would end in 1994. He again foretold the End Times would happen May 21, 2011. To portray the preacher, don fluffy sideburns, a powdered white wig, and a sports jacket and take a fat book to thump as you preach to all within range.

Charlie Sheen

You can create your own outfit or go with a mask, wig, and "Winning" hat.

Women

Mummy

If you're still shuttling kids to soccer and band practice, take on the dual role of a mommy mummy. Pick up some high-waisted mom jeans at Goodwill, along with an appliquéd shirt or sweater. Wrap yourself in toilet paper and carry a soccer ball.

Babe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

The movie "Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" is coming out in 2012, but women can dress as the president who freed the slaves and, apparently, slew the bloodsuckers. You'll need a stovepipe hat made from construction paper, a formal black coat, fake beard, and a short skirt with high heels. You can also carry a bloodied stake.

Bridesmaids

The wild chicks of Judd Apatow's summer comedy are easy to replicate with thrift store bridesmaids' costumes, preferably in Pepto Bismal pink, and a meringue-pie wedding gown with a matching pink ribbon for a waistband.

Elizabeth Bennett, Zombie-style

The "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" novel offers a grisly twist to a period costume. Pick up a long, empire-waist dress at a thrift store or create your own using a puff-sleeved tee shirt and floor-length skirt. Arrange your hair into a conservative bun, then dishevel the entire look with random blood spatter and zombie makeup.

Couples

Prince Charles and Camilla

You can play the prince and his wife for just $2.01 each with masks from Discount Costumes. Or, try the Queen Elizabeth mask for a discounted $1.26. Shipping and handling are $5.95.

Jack and Jill

Take two T-shirts. Write "Jack" on one and "Jill" on the other. Create a broken crown for Jack out of poster board and add fake blood, then create bruises on Jill with black-and-blue face paints to indicate her role as "She who came tumbling after." Make sure you both carry pails of water and trip occasionally. 

A Pair of Blue Jeans

Both of you wear blue clothes. His nametag reads "Gene" and hers says "Jean." You also can add blue skin paint.

Baby Boomers

The costume requires a box of Depends and a baby-doll top. You might use scrub tops covered in duckies or another childish pattern then add a big bow around the neck. Props could include giant baby/water bottles and your social security cards.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Girls and teens shouldn’t wear high heels

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

For years, I’ve written about how bad high heels are for women’s feet, especially baby boomer women’s feet.

But women keep wearing them, and high heels get taller and taller – and more dangerous.

High heels, especially those with heels higher than one inch, put the foot in an unnatural position. High heels change how you walk and change pressure points in certain areas of the feet.

A high heel three inches or more puts seven times more pressure on the ball of the foot. Wearing heels may also increase the risk of back pain, sprains, and shortened calf muscles.

Now young girls and teens are wearing higher and higher heels, as part of the trend that is sexualizing females at younger and younger ages.

The recent media attention surrounding French Vogue’s advertisement featuring 10-year-old model, Thylane Loubry Blondeau, in extremely high heels, has brought attention to this alarming trend.

Neal Blitz, M.D., chief of foot surgery at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, questions the appropriateness of young girls wearing high heels.

From a medical point of view, young girls wearing high heels and pointy-toed shoes is a concern because their bones are more malleable and can be structurally deformed as they grow, Blitz said in The Huffington Post article “How Young Is Too Young for High Heels?”

“Simply put, bone growth occurs from a cartilaginous precursor that becomes calcified and hardened,” he said in the article. “The softer growing bone can be deformed and misshapen by external forces, such as high heels. This is the physiology behind the Chinese foot binding.”

Until young girls stop growing, there is a significant risk to cause bone and joint deformations within the foot, Blitz said.

“From a purely bone-related standpoint, females reach skeletally maturity around age 14,” he said. “This does not mean that this the proper age for one to begin wearing high heels, nor am I indicating that high heel wearing is safe at all for young girls and adolescents. But parents should strongly consider avoiding shoe gear that can have a life-long impact on the foot prior to maturity of the foot.”

In his article, Blitz also reminded women of all ages that, even after skeletal maturity, the risk of developing foot problems from wearing high heels still exists.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist