The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

After Boston: Make sure you’re prepared for emergencies

If you’re looking for something positive to do after the Boston Marathon tragedy yesterday, you can make sure you and your family are ready for emergencies.

Baby boomers, age 49 to 67, can look over this list and see what actions are needed. Do you have:

• An emergency plan?

• Emergency equipment including a battery-operated radio and emergency supplies for your car?

• Medical insurance?

• Ways to retrieve financial information?

• A will?

• A living will?

Consumers often put off being ready for emergencies, although we never know when they’ll occur.

It’s best to be prepared.

See my article “Boston Tragedy Reminds Us to Be Ready for Emergencies” for resources to help you get ready for emergencies.

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

What do Americans like most, least about the holidays?

A Consumer Reports poll shows that the holiday season is a happy time for most Americans, but there are still some things about this time of year that people don’t like.

Americans’ biggest holiday dreads, according to the poll, include:

• Crowds and long lines (58 percent)
• Gaining weight (41 percent)
• Aggressive or thoughtless driving in store parking lots (40 percent)
• Getting into debt (30 percent)
• Gift shopping (20 percent)
• Seasonal music (14 percent)
• Disappointing gifts (13 percent)
• Seeing certain relatives (12 percent)
• Traveling (10 percent)
• Having to attend holiday parties, gatherings, or events (9 percent)
• Having to be nice (4 percent)
• Holiday tipping (3 percent)

When asked what they wished they could do differently from how they expected to spend their time during the holiday season, 22 percent of Americans said they’d like to change their holiday activities. Thirteen percent wished they could alter their holiday food menu, and an equal amount said they wished they could celebrate with a different group of people. Fifty-three percent wouldn’t change a thing.

The Consumer Reports Holiday Poll also showed that 60 percent of shoppers would rather receive cash as a present than a gift card. And eight-in-10 would rather receive something practical over something expensive or showy as a gift.

More results of the Consumer Reports Holiday Poll are available at ConsumerReports.org.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Eight ways to cut your holiday costs

For years, I’ve skipped the holiday lights on the outside of my house. Since it’s the coldest time of the year and electricity demands are high for heat, I don’t think light displays are an environmental thing to do.

Living in the Seattle area, I also grown my own Christmas trees. I let volunteer trees grow in my yard and cut them when they get big. That's one of my trees on the right.

Other tips from dealnews.com for saving money include:

• Skip the wrapping paper. I’ve wrapped presents in the comics, new towels, and new dishtowels. Reusing gift bags is great, too.

• Don’t get carried away with gift cards. Have gift cards as part of your holiday budget, and don’t go over it.

• Cut the costs of holiday cards.  Buy cards on sale, send eCard, or have your kids make cards.

• Reduce transportation costs. Order gifts online.

• Keep the cost of hostess gifts down. Buy wine by the case and shop for low cost gifts.

• Watch the costs for your own party. Ask guests to bring an entrée, side dish, or beverage.

• Make decorations yourself. Use your Christmas cards as decorations, such as hang them on your shutters with wooden clothes pins.

See dealnews.com’s “Ho, Ho, Hold It!: 8 Hidden Holiday Costs and How to Avoid Them” for details on these ideas.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Shredding paper was my best consumer experience this week, while dealing with my electrical utility was frustrating

By Rita R. Robison

My paper shredder works now, which makes me happy. However, talking to my electrical utility is less than inspiring.

My best: Getting my paper shredder to work

Years ago, I bought a paper shredder from Office Depot. It’s never worked very well. Twice, I’ve taken it back to the store to see if they could show me how to get it to work. Both times, the sales associates were able to get it to run. The second one showed me a lever that needs to be in a certain position for the shredding to occur.

When I got home, I figured it out and shredded lots of paper. I was extremely happy. I shredded about a third of the recycling bin full of paper I needed to do.

However, I had a problem. When I was shredding receipts, I put too many in. It jammed the shredder.

I left it for a couple of weeks, but finally couldn’t stand the paper shredder on my dining room table or the recycling container in my rec room.

I got out a skinny fork to scrape out the jammed receipts, then a skewer. Finally, I used one of the ends of a large paper clip. It worked.

I finished the bin full of paper and dumped the shredded paper into my recycling barrel.

What a great accomplishment. I’m glad I persisted for years. I paid about $65 for the shredder and didn’t want to spend money another one.

My worst: Having a missing check

When I received the bill from my electrical utility, it said I owed twice the amount of my monthly payment plan. When I called about it, the company said my last check hadn’t been received.

The investor-owner utility’s service has declined since a foreign conglomerate purchased it. So I asked the sales associate whether the company lost my check. She was indignant, saying it wasn’t possible.

Maybe I misplaced the check before I mailed it. Maybe it was lost in the mail. However, it’s possible the utility lost it.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Banks, telecoms, electronics, retailers among companies requiring forced arbitration

If your bank, cell phone provider, employer, or other company that you conduct business with violated your rights or cheated you, would you want to be able to take them to court?

Many companies are now using fine print to stop consumers from taking legal action, according to Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group.

Below is Public Citizen’s listing of some of the largest corporations that have placed “forced arbitration” clauses in their terms of service. Forced arbitration blocks consumers and employees from holding companies accountable in court because they must take their claims to private, secretive tribunals that often favor the companies, the consumer group said in a statement.

Telecommunications: DirectTV, Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile, Clearwire, Time Warner Cable, Tacfone.

Consumer banking and credit: Wells Fargo, US Bank, Regions Banks, BB&T, Discover, PNC Bank, Chase.

Student loans: Sallie Mae, Citibank, Chase, Discover.

Consumer electronics: Sony, Dell, Gateway, Electronic Arts, XBox Live.

Nursing homes: Candansk, Covenant Dove, Driftwood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Kindred Nursing Center, Manor Care of Florida, OP Winter Haven, SA-PG Sun City Center, Triad Health Management of Georgia.

Home builders: D.R. Horton, Pulte Homes, Centex Corp., Lennar, KB Home, Hovnanian Enterprises, NVR (Ryan), The Ryland Group, Beazer Homes.

Gift cards: Starbucks, Pep Boys, Gold’s Gym, Ticketmaster, Crocs, In-N-Out Burger, Red Mango, Patagonia, Discover.

Ecommerce and entertainment: amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Netflix, Hulu.

Employment: Hooters of America, Forever 21, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus Group, Macy’s West Stores, Yahoo! Inc.

Miscellaneous: New Leaf Academy, Orkin.

Public Citizen asks consumers to add more companies that are taking away their rights with forced arbitration by sending an e-mail to action@citizen.org.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top tips for travelers for the Thanksgiving holidays

By Rita R. Robison

Across the state and country, more consumers will enjoy their Thanksgiving feast at a table away from home this year, according to AAA's annual travel forecast.

Nationwide, 42.5 million Americans will travel over the holiday, a 4 percent increase compared to 2010.

Sixty percent of travelers state that the economy has either no impact on their travel plans or that things have improved for them since last year. The remaining 40 percent of travelers state that they will scale back as a result of current economic conditions.

For many, the Thanksgiving holiday is about reconnecting with friends and family. The top five travel activities include: dining, 72 percent; visiting friends/relatives, 67 percent; shopping, 49 percent; touring/sightseeing, 43 percent; and/or going to the beach/waterfront, 27 percent.

If you’ll be traveling in your car, be sure to be prepared for winter by using these tips:

Basic winter safety gear

• Make sure you have an ice scraper, a snowbrush, a small shovel, tow chain, jumper cables, and chains.

Breakdown kit

• Assemble blankets, gloves, boots, warm clothes, a flashlight, food, water, a first aid kit, extra batteries, road flares, and emergency cash.

Information about conditions

• Watch weather forecasts.

• Call your state transportation department’s information line.

• Check the Internet for winter information about conditions on roads before you leave.

Safe driving

• Drive for conditions – use slower speeds, slower acceleration, slower steering, and slower braking in winter conditions.

• Use your headlights at all times

• Remember, four- and all-wheel drive vehicles won’t stop or steer better in icy conditions.

• Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on slick or snow-covered surfaces.

• Leave extra room between your vehicle and the vehicles in front of you. Look farther ahead in traffic. And remember, big trucks take longer to stop.

• Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges, or shady spots.

• Slow down and be extra cautious near the chain-up and removal areas.

• Stay behind well snowplows until it’s safe to pass.

If you’re traveling by air, follow these tips to make sure you get to the airport and your plane on time: 

• Call your airline's customer service number or visit the airline’s website to confirm your flight prior to coming to the airport, especially if severe weather is predicted.

• Print your boarding pass before coming to the airport. Some airlines also offer electronic boarding passes.

• Place identification tags on both the inside and outside of your luggage.

• Place a label on your laptop computer and another on the carrying case.

• Have a viable plan for where you’re going to park at the airport or which shuttle service you’ll hire.

• Put spare lithium batteries for cameras, laptops, and cell phones in carry-on luggage and make sure they are in the original packaging or separate protective cases or have tape across the battery’s contacts to isolate the terminals and prevent short-circuiting.

After you're on the plane, Luis Navarro, M.D., director of the Vein Treatment Center in New York, offers these tips on how to avoid poor blood flow from sitting too long on an airplane or train:

• Avoid prolonged periods of sitting and standing. Walk up and down the plane/train every one to two hours, when possible, for five to10 minutes.

• Get exercise. Do ankle and lower leg exercises, such as ankle rotations.

• Wear graduated compression stocking, preferably knee highs with open toe, which are 15-25mm/hg or 20-30mm/hg.

• Stay hydrated. Double your water intake when traveling. Buy bottled water before you board the plane and start drinking before takeoff. It will take a while before flight attendants will bring water to you.

• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates your body so avoiding alcohol a few days before taking a long trip would be a good idea.

Best wishes for a great Thanksgiving trip. And remember, don’t drink and drive.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Tips on cutting the cost of your Thanksgiving dinner

By Andrea Woroch, Consumer Writer, Kinoli Inc.

Guest Blogger

That big turkey dinner won't just put you to sleep this year; it'll also cost you an arm and a wing.

The price of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner will rise 13 percent this year, according to a recent survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation. That means an average meal for 10 could set you back $49.20, up $5.73 from 2010.

Tom Turkey is the main culprit behind the biggest increase in 26 years. A 16-pound bird will run $21.57, up more than 22 percent from last year.

If you're a perennial chef, or just cooking your first turkey dinner, consider the following tips to avoid economic indigestion:

1. Smaller can be better

If you're not a fan of leftovers, buying a smaller turkey will save you some cash, since guests often fill up on side dishes anyway.

2. Buy early

Got extra space in your freezer? Then buy the bird now. Supermarkets tend to stock up early, then offer some excellent prices per pound. Shop early sales and keep an eye out for printable grocery coupons at websites like CouponSherpa.com.

3. Go traditional

You can either end up with a wine cellar full of hostess gifts or ask guests to bring their favorite dish instead of a bottle. If you're cooking the big bird, they might be willing to help with the smaller sides.

4. Be a borrower

Borrow serving dishes and specialty cookware, instead of purchasing them. That particularly applies to that tin-foil turkey roaster you end up buying each year to avoid cleaning.

5. Bulk up your drink purchases

Stock up on wine and beer from bulk retailers such Costco. They have a great selection and may offer deals of up to 30-percent less than grocery stores. Do price comparisons before you buy, however. Some bulk retailers don’t carry cheaper wines.

6. Bring nature indoors

Use decor inspired by nature, such as pinecones and intertwined twigs. Pumpkins spray-painted gold offer a festive touch, one that would cost over $30 if purchased at a specialty store. Plus, they're cheaper after Halloween. Or you could cut holes in fruit, insert tea lights, and create a natural and inexpensive centerpiece. Check out FreshHomeIdeas.com for more ideas. 

7. Do it yourself

Avoid prepared foods, which are typically marked up over 40 percent. Besides, you didn't really believe boxed stuffing tastes as good as the real stuff.

8. Save at Dollar stores

Buy paper goods, napkins, and favors at dollar stores. You'd be surprised how many party fixings you can buy for just $1 apiece.

9. Do your own preparation

Buy your veggies whole and do the preparation yourself. Pre-cut and pre-sliced produce are more expensive and often not as fresh. You can enlist a friend to help handle all the preparation and chat while working.

10. Homemake dessert

Pre-made desserts are marked up 100 percent, so it really pays to make your own. Try this Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie recipe from SimplyRecipes for down-home goodness.

11. Stick to your list

It's easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit while shopping for Thanksgiving goodies, and supermarkets guide you in the direction of overspending with these sneaky strategies. Before heading to the store, make a detailed list of what you need and stick to it. And also fix yourself a sandwich; there's nothing more dangerous than holiday grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

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: Having a place to store paper towels and toilet paper

Although I’ve seriously cleaned out my garage two or three times, work still needs to be done.

However, when my daughter came to visit this summer, she sorted her boxes in my garage and helped me sort some of my boxes, too.

One positive result is that I now have space to put the paper towels and toilet paper I buy in cases on the shelves. That works better than leaving them in boxes on the floor.

My worst: Safeway telling me how to vote in a sign on its front door

In Washington state, citizens will vote Tuesday on Initiative 1183, a measure that would privatize liquor sales thus allowing supermarkets to sell it.

When I went to my local Safeway on Halloween, a sign on the front door said “Yes on 1183, Benefits Taxpayers & Vital Public Services.”

 When I asked the assistant manager about it, he said his store received the poster from Safeway’s corporate headquarters. The instructions that came with it said to post it on the front door.

The assistant manager didn’t seem concerned when I told him that I, a 30-year customer, would be taking my business elsewhere.

On Tuesday, I wrote a post about it on my blog, the Boomer Consumer, a reader blog on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website. Wednesday, I called Safeway’s corporate headquarters to request a comment from its CEO Steven A. Burd on Safeway’s policy for putting political advertisements in its stores.

It’s Sunday, and I’ve received no reply, although I called about it on Friday and send an e-mail to the Safeway Press Office.

I’m outraged that Safeway has the audacity to tell citizens how to vote.

We all know corporations rule the world, but when my neighborhood grocery store tells me in a sign on its front door how to vote, it’s too much.

I oppose I-1183 because it would make more places where under-aged teens could buy liquor and I don’t trust corporations not to jack up the price when they get control.

After Costco, Safeway is one of the biggest contributors to the Vote Yes on I-1183 campaign, with a $50,000 contribution. Costco’s contributions are so enormous, a record-breaking $22 million, they’re currently being featured in the advertisements against I-1183.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

How do Americans celebrate Memorial Day?

Americans across the country are celebrating Memorial Day with remembrance events, barbecues, trips, personal reflection, and shopping.

President Barack Obama took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

AAA estimates that about 34.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home on Memorial Day, a slight increase of 0.2 percent – or 100,000 travelers – from the 34.8 million people who traveled one year ago.

Shopping is the third most popular activity over Memorial Day weekend, with 43 percent of Americans hitting stores and outlets, according to a recent AAA/IHS Global Insights study. The study found dining was first on the list, 59 percent, with visiting friends and relatives second, 52 percent.

I’m spending Memorial Day visiting with my daughter and her family. We made potato salad, and now we’re eating watermelon.

I’ll also be working on my photos and remembering the past and loved one who are now gone – my parents and most of my aunts and uncles. I’ll also be remembering my uncle Frank Gilliam who died in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones on Memorial Day. 

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist