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 one made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences:

My best consumer experience: Getting a free pair of fitovers

Recently, I lost my beautiful, purple, prescription sunglasses.

While it was upsetting, I’d been thinking for some time that I should wear “fitovers,” sunglasses that fit over regular glasses.

Fitovers aren’t attractive, but they offer better protection for the eyes because the sun’s rays can’t get in behind glasses. Consumers need to protect their eyes from ultraviolet rays to prevent eye problems, such as cataracts, later in life.

I was pleased when my sister gave me a pair of fitovers. She had an extra pair.

The photo shows what fitovers look like.

Flickr photo by cobalt123

My worst consumer experience: A ‘secure’ mailbox that isn’t secure for letters I'm mailing

Recently, my neighbor came over and asked if I was interested in getting a new stand for the mailboxes she and I share with another neighbor. She said she was buying a secure mailbox.

I’d been thinking about buying a secure mailbox, so I said yes right away.

My neighbor indicated her handyman would be coming the next week, and, if I purchased a new mailbox, he’d install it when he put hers up. I agreed.

I went to Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, Target, and Home Depot. Only Lowe’s and Home Depot carried secure mailboxes. I didn’t have time to shop further or check the Internet.

I selected a mailbox from Home Depot made by Architectural Mailboxes for $118. It was more than I wanted to pay, but I had a deadline.

The mailbox has two sections. The letter carrier puts the mail in the top section, and it falls down into the bottom section, which is locked.

After the mailbox was installed, I called the U.S. Postal Service to see how I could get the second key to the letter carrier. I wanted to put letters with checks and other personal information that I was mailing in the locked bottom section.

An employee told me that the Postal Service doesn’t accept keys for secure mailboxes. They don’t want the liability.

I was flabbergasted. The box for the mailbox made by Architectural Mailboxes says “U.S.P.S. Approved.”

I’m going to call the company about it. It appears to be false advertising.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Do you like my new eyeglasses?

Buying eyeglasses is a difficult consumer problem for me.

Recently, I wrote a post, “How to Buy Eyeglasses,” about choosing glasses. I included photos of some of my past selections.

The post is becoming one of the most widely read items on my blog.

In the post, I said I was going to try something different.

Consumer Reports did a survey of 92,000 eyeglass buyers. In the survey, it found that Costco, the nation’s fifth-largest seller of eyewear, offered low prices and good service.

I went to Costco and spent about an hour and a half trying on glasses. The clerk who assisted me was helpful and pleasant.

The selection was limited, but I found a pair. I paid $210, $40 of which was for the frames. It’s been years since I’ve seen frames for that price.

It took two weeks to get the glasses. I picked them up yesterday.

The clerk who helped me didn’t provide good customer service. I thought the bows were too long. I noticed this when I tried on the sample. The man who helped me on my first visit said the bows could be shortened.

When I put the glasses on, the second clerk said he thought they looked fine. I tried to explain what I thought was wrong. To fix the problem of the bows being too long, he bent the ends of the bows inward. They were so tight they hurt my head.

When I told him that didn’t work, he was rude, saying in a derogatory tone that he would fix any problems with the glasses if I could explain what they were.

He bent the ends of the bows back like they were originally. I gave up on trying to get that problem fixed.

Then I told him I have one ear lower than the other so I needed an adjustment for that. I’ve had at least a dozen pairs of glasses in my lifetime. All of the opticians I’ve worked with have been able to see the problem and adjust my glasses so that they sit properly on my nose.

He bent one bow where it attached to the glasses three times, speaking to me in an even, but disgusted tone.

I gave up and left. I decided I could come back later if the glasses were giving me problems and have someone else try to adjust them.

Will I buy another pair of glasses from Costco? I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not.

What I’m wondering about is whether I should have looked at places that offered two pairs of glasses for the price of one. I need a pair of computer glasses and don’t want to pay another $200 for those.

Which brings me back to the point I made in my first post. Perhaps it’s difficult to buy eyeglasses because you need to wear them for several years and if you make a mistake you just have to live with it.

I’ll try again in a couple of years to get it right with glasses.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

How to buy eyeglasses

Since I’ve been in the seventh or eighth grade, I’ve been wearing eyeglasses.

Buying glasses is a difficult consumer problem for me. Perhaps it’s because you need to wear them for several years and if you make a mistake you just have to live with it.

I’ve had friends help me. In the top photo are my current glasses, which are rose-colored metal. A friend thought they looked good. They’re O.K., but I was disappointed because they’re flimsy, not sturdy.

I’ve tried having a drink or two to make the selection process easier. That wasn’t helpful.

I looked through my photo albums and scanned photos of my glasses choices through the years. The second photo is the one I remember as being the worst glasses I ever had. Looking back on them, they aren’t that bad.

Neither were the others I reviewed. The third photo is my high school graduation photo. I think those are fine.

The fourth photo is from the late 1980s when big glasses were in fashion. This pair is metal, so they look O.K. for that era. I also had a plastic pair in that big size.

I need new glasses, so I thought I’d try something different. I read Consumer Reports magazine and followed its recommendations.

I know that glasses are getting more and more expensive and you need to compare prices carefully.

Price was the biggest complaint in a survey of 92,000 eyeglass buyers, reports the article “Eyeglasses: Score Spectacular Savings” on Consumer Reports.com. Though 75 percent of respondents said that they were very happy overall with their purchase, only 54 percent said they were pleased with the price they paid.

In the survey, Consumer Reports found that Costco, the nation’s fifth-largest seller of eyewear, offered low prices. Those surveyed also said Costco’s service was good. It scored almost as well as private medical offices and small independent optical shops, which continue to top all categories but price.

So I went to Costco and ordered a pair of glasses. I’ll get them in about two weeks. I’ll report back on how I like them.

I paid $210 for my glasses. The frames were $40. I also paid an additional $50 to renew my annual membership.

Here are the tips Consumer Reports has for eyeglass shoppers:

• Select the lenses. CR-39 lenses are the best choice, but you may need stronger, thinner polycarbonate lenses if you participate in sports activities or have a strong prescription. Make sure you understand what different coatings are for and what they cost.

• Pick out the frames. Plastic frames break more easily than metal frames. Titanium and titanium-based flexible metals stand up well to most abuse. Look for frames that complement the shape of your face. It may help to take a friend with you. Picking out glasses is a challenging task.

• Look for a store that offers lower prices. Start by looking on the Internet to get an idea of what prices are. You can order from the Web, but if there’s a problem, you have to mail the glasses back. If price is a consideration, Consumer Reports suggests trying BJ’s, Costco, or Sam’s Club. Davis Vision Center, For Eyes Optical, and Wal-Mart also offered satisfactory prices, according to the Consumer Reports survey.

• Finalize the purchase. Find out about return policies and warranties. Ask if you can exchange the frames if they aren’t comfortable. Be sure to go back to the store if something isn’t right with your new glasses. Having well-fitting, comfortable glasses is important for busy boomer consumers these days.

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Other resources to help you with your selection of eyeglasses:

“How to Buy Eyeglasses” – About.com

“Buying Eyeglasses Online: A Good Idea? Not Necessarily” – All About Vision.com

“10 Tips for Buying Kids’ Eyewear” -- All About Vision.com

“How to Get an Unbelievable, Thrilling Deal on New Glasses” – Slate.com

“Costco Is a Good Place to Buy Eyeglasses?” – The Consumerist.com

“Buying Eye Glasses? Don’t Overpay!” – WebMD.com

“Save Bundles of Cash by Buying Eyeglasses Online” – Lifehacker.com

Update: See the post, "Do You Like My New Glasses?" to see the glasses I bought and what I thought of Costco's customer service.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

100 ways baby boomers can improve their lives in 2009

It’s often difficult to remain cheerful in these turbulent economic times. News of more job layoffs. Banks and other financial institutions continuing to have problems. Businesses closing.

Although the news can be discouraging, it’s important to think through what’s positive in your life and how to get more joy and satisfaction.

Here are 50 ways to improve your life this year:

 

Health

• Read novels to reduce stress.

• Walk, walk, walk.

• Use less toxic products, especially for cleaning your home and on your body.

• Eat more vegetarian meals.

• Plant fruit trees.

• Buy organic food.

• Talk honestly to your doctor about your health needs.

• Try yoga.

Community

• Talk to your neighbors.

• Find a rewarding volunteer activity.

• Move to a walkable neighborhood.

• Contribute to your city or county government.

• Take a walk in a park once a week.

Finances

• Compare prices before you buy.

• Pay off your credit cards.

• Complain when something you buy or a service isn’t right.

• Figure out ways to simplify your life.

• Read Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan: Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound.”

 

Joy

• Read “Finding Joy: 101 Ways to Free Your Spirit and Dance With Life” by Charlotte Davis Kasl.

• Sign up for the lessons you’ve always wanted to take.

• Say “I love you” to someone you love every day.

• Have coffee or lunch with a friend you haven’t seen in a while.

• Relax by soaking in the bathtub.

• Laugh out loud.

• Sleep in once a week.

• Hold a baby.

• Remember to get as much joy as you can from the present, rather than worrying about the past or future.

• Visit a farm.

• Watch movies that are fun.

• Stop being a perfectionist.

• Visualize daily what you’d like your life to be like.

• Surround yourself with people who are positive.

• Spend a realistic amount of time using the computer.

• Don’t think about work when you leave for the day.

• Pursue your dreams.

• Enjoy the wonders of nature.

• Give up nagging.

• Figure out ways to enjoy your children more.

• Reduce the amount of television you watch.

• Take care of yourself.

• Don’t dwell on your mistakes.

• Pace yourself.

• Be open to new ideas and activities.

• Let go of disappointments and negative people from the past.

Home

• Turn on your favorite music when you clean house.

• Organize one spot or cupboard in your house weekly.

• Use lights and plants to make your home more enjoyable.

• Remodel a room.

• Buy a pretty new bedspread.

• Organize your photos.

• Recycle.

Here are additional suggestions from the article “50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009” in U.S. News and Reports:

Money

• Recycle old gadgets for cash.

• Choose “Obama” stocks.

• Advance your career online.

• Put your cash in safe accounts.

• Start your own nonprofit.

• Drink screw-topped wines.

• Lose the ‘microwave’ mentality.

• Make friends at work.

• Watch television free online.

• Try that home before buying.

Health

• Bike to work.

• Use glass to store food.

• Take an afternoon nap.

• Get paid for good health.

• Walk the cravings away.

• Get a new toothbrush.

• Move to Vermont.

• Get your eyes checked.

• Add obstacles to your jog.

• Get fit as you get older.

The brain

• Read Edgar Allan Poe

• Publish your book yourself.
  

• Go back to school for new skills.

• Study philosophy.

• Save that November 5 newspaper.

• Silence noise pollution.

• Finish a crossword puzzle.

• Start using Twitter.

• Learn Russian

• Keep a “clothes hanger” journal.

The world around you

• Learn about Abraham Lincoln.

• Plant a square-foot garden.

• Hypermile when you drive.

• Help those hit by the recession.

• Switch to a push mower.

• Air dry your laundry.

• Practice spreading tolerance.

• Ditch the phone while driving.

• Get your news online.

• Buy laptops for kids.

 

Play

• Learn to play bridge.

•  Visit Alaska.

• Celebrate the life of Miles Davis.

• Take a “staycation.”

• “Geotag” your digital photos.

• Watch the Beatles “Let It Be.”

• Teach your kids to cook.

• Play a fake musical instrument.

• Read the book before you see the movie.

• Try your hand at pottery.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Halloween safety tips for kids and adults can save injuries, illness

Many of the Halloween safety tips this year offer warnings we've heard before.

 
Trick or treating

• Treats: Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering.

• Flame resistant costumes: Look for the label Flame Resistant when purchasing a costume, masks, beards, and wigs. Avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts to minimize the risk of contact with candles or other sources of ignition.

• Costume designs: Purchase or make costumes that are light and bright enough to be clearly visible to motorists. Trim costumes with reflective tape.

• Masks. Apply a natural mask of cosmetics rather than have a child wear a loose-fitting mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision. Make sure masks fit securely and have eyeholes large enough to allow full vision.

• Pedestrian safety: Always accompany young children and make sure children walk from house to house, using the sidewalk.

• Safe houses: Make sure children only go to homes where the residents are known and have outside lights on as a sign of welcome.

However, here are some suggestions from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that you may not be aware of.

Novelty makeup

• Face paint: Follow directions carefully. Don't decorate your face with things that aren't intended for your skin. Check to see if there is a warning to not use the paint near the eyes. Dab a paint on your arm for a couple of days to check for an allergic reaction before putting it on your face.

• Color additives: Look for the names of the colors of the face paint. Check the Summary of Color Additives on FDA's Web site. Don't use the color if it isn't on this list. Check to see if the color can be used near the eyes.

• Ghoulish glow paint: Don't use "fluorescent" and "luminescent" paint near the eyes. Fluorescent colors are sometimes called "neon" or "day-glow." Luminescent colors glow in the dark. Check the Summary of Color Additives again.

• Cosmetic removal. Don't go to bed with your makeup on as wearing it too long might irritate your skin, and bits of makeup can flake off or smear and get into your eyes. Remove it the way the label says. Remove makeup gently around the eyes.

• Reactions. Report a bad reaction to face paint or novelty makeup to your nearest FDA district office. See the FDA's Web site for phone numbers, Blue Pages of the phone book under United States Government/Health and Human Services, or FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System at 301-436-2405 or CAERS@cfsan.fda.gov.

Decorative contact lenses

• Get a prescription if you want to use decorative contact lenses. Buy the lenses from an eye care professional or from a vendor who requires that you provide prescription information for the lenses. Follow directions for cleaning, disinfecting, and wearing the lenses.

• Report any problems with the lenses to your FDA district office or FDA's MedWatch Program.

I hope this information helps you have a safe Halloween this year.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Research gives information for boomers to ponder in 2008

In looking for the latest research on baby boomers, I found more of interest at the library than on the Web.

Recent studies report that:

Boomers like their age: More than three-quarters of baby boomers are comfortable with their age, a study by BoomerEyes showed. In the study, 39 percent said these are the best years of their lives. Boomers most optimistic about their lives were those in their fifties. The expectation by more than half of those interviewed is that they would work as long as they could. BoomerEyes is a research and demographic group.

Boomers are interested in personal care products. Boomers will be driving up sales of natural and organic personal care products, mineral based-makeup, and men’s grooming products, according to research by The Doneger Group, a source for global market trends and merchandising strategies.

Boomers create a challenge for hospitals in 2008. New facilities will be offered by many health systems just for baby boomers, and they will have more private rooms. Oncology, cardiology, and orthopedic departments will grow, according to Tefen USA, a health care consulting firm.

Boomer Internet use continues to grow. The number of American baby boomers who use the Internet at least once a month will grow by more than five million over the next five years, a study by Research and Markets Report showed. Internet use among boomers will rise from 58.2 million in 2006 to 63.7 million in 2011.

Many boomers are unconcerned about eye problems. In a study on eye care, 62 percent of baby boomers said they weren't concerned that they could become visually impaired or have vision loss that can't be corrected with glasses. Officials from Lighthouse International, an organization providing health-care services to those with vision loss, expressed concern boomers aren't taking steps to avoid age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The study was conducted by Lighthouse.

Boomers are giving more financial help to adult children. Nearly 40 percent of adults age 60 and older gave financial assistance to adult children, although only about 12 percent received money from their children, a study by the Pew Research Center showed. When boomers give money to their adult children, they could be putting their own retirement in jeopardy. An article in the Dec. 24, 2007, issue of U.S. News and World Reports discusses this topic.

Some baby boomers face uncertain retirement. About one third of baby boomers, 25 million, have virtually nothing saved for retirement and face a shaky retirement, according to a recent AARP study. Skyrocketing health care costs, the rising age for full Social Security benefits, and recent lower returns on investments make retirement difficult for the 76 million boomers who will turn 65 in the next two decades.

That's it for boomer news for today.