The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guide to getting bargains throughout the year

It’s January and it’s a famous month for getting lots of items on sale. However, every month of the year usually offers bargains.

Here’s information from DealNews, a website listing bargains, so you can make a plan for saving throughout the year:

January

Gym memberships, white sales with deals on bedding and towels, winter clothing especially winter coats, fitness equipment, spring travel, holiday décor

February

Winter apparel, home goods, television sets, non-traditional Valentine’s Day gifts

March

Chocolate, frozen food, St. Patrick’s Day food, cruises, gift cards, luggage

IKEA agrees to pay $46 million to settle lawsuit on dresser tip-over

IKEA has agreed to pay a $46 million to settle a lawsuit filed after a 2-year-old California boy was fatally injured by a tip-over of an IKEA MALM three-drawer dresser. The settlement, which may be the largest child wrongful death recovery in the United States, includes terms to protect other children from IKEA furniture tip-over incidents.

On May 24, 2017, Jozef Dudek was put in bed for a nap by his father in their home in Buena Park, California. When he returned to his son's bedroom to check on him, he found Jozef under the dresser. Jozef died later that day from crush injuries to his neck which caused him to suffocate.

The lawsuit filed by Jozef's parents on June 18, 2018, alleged that IKEA knew of many injuries and deaths associated with tip-overs of the MALM line of dressers prior to Jozef's death but failed to take adequate measures to improve the safety and stability of the dressers.

FDA bans e-cigarettes that appeal to children, including fruit and mint

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an enforcement policy Thursday against some flavored e-cigarette products that appeal to kids, including fruit and mint flavors. Under this policy, companies that don’t stop the manufacture, distribution, and sale of unauthorized e-cigarettes, other than tobacco or menthol, within 30 days risk FDA enforcement actions.

“As we work to combat the troubling epidemic of youth e-cigarette use, the enforcement policy we’re issuing today confirms our commitment to dramatically limit children’s access to certain flavored e-cigarette products we know are so appealing to them – so-called cartridge-based products that are both easy to use and easily concealable,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D.

Hahn said the action along with the recent legislation increasing the minimum age of sale of tobacco to 21 will address the public health threat of youth use of e-cigarettes.

Consumers, businesses need to reject single-use food packaging, group says

Consumers overlook the environmental impact of food packaging, an analysis by FoodPrint, an organization that studies food production practices, reports.

“If concern about climate change, the environment, or your personal health are motivating factors for you when it comes to deciding what you eat, it’s important to realize that those same issues are factors when it comes to food packaging,” Jerusha Klemperer, director of FoodPrint, said.

Klemperer said massive environmental issues occur with the way food packaging is made and with how much consumers use and throw away, adding dangerous materials also are present in food packaging.

Top consumer stories for 2019

As usual, most of the end-of-the-year, round-up articles are about national issues or corporations. If consumers are mentioned, it’s usually about how they’re responding to some corporation.

For the most part, it’s been a grim year for consumers. With the Trump administration that is so probusiness and anti-consumer, the not much is happening for consumers that's positive.

1. President Donald Trump is impeached.

We have a president who puts his personal interests above the public interest. He tried to bribe the Ukrainian president to get him to investigate a political rival. As a result, he’s been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives. This is incredible.

How a percentage of the American can support Trump is a great mystery to me. He and his administration announce anti-consumer proposals almost daily.

In addition, we have a president who lies. Since he was elected, Trump has told more than 15,000 false or misleading claims. In 2019, he’s said that the U.S. economy today is the best in history, he passed the biggest tax cut in history, the U.S. has lost money on trade deficits, article II of the Constitution lets him do whatever he wants, windmills cause cancer, and toilet flushes are up. All are untrue.

2. Consumer rights and programs are under continual attack from President Trump and his administration.

The Republican conservatives want to reduce the size of government and give corporations more power. Almost daily, we read about how the Trump administration has done it or is planning to do it. Some examples include:

• The Trump administration’s decision to roll back light bulb standards will cost consumers billions.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rule speeding up pork lines and reducing inspectors endangers the lives and safety of consumers and workers. 
• Corporations keep breaking the law due to declining federal prosecutions.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and seven states launch an “innovation network” that will approve new, risky financial products and protect them from enforcement.
• The CFPB fails consumers by not carrying out the payday lending rule.
• Fewer children’s products were recalled in 2018.
• Under Trump, enforcement of consumer financial laws drops sharply, especially in areas with the highest complaints.

The list goes on and on. Government regulations and programs help consumers. Reducing the size of government and slashing consumer regulations just helps corporations make more profits at the expense of consumers.

Hillsdale Furniture recalls five-drawer chests due to tip-over and entrapment hazards

Hillsdale Furniture is recalling about 31,000 Chadwick and Bailey five-drawer wood chests in the United States and about 740 in Canada.

The chests are unstable and can tip over if they aren’t anchored to the wall, posing serious tip-over and entrapment hazards that can result in injuries or death to children. The chests don’t comply with the performance requirements of the U.S. voluntary industry standard, ASTM F2057-17.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Keep warm safely this winter

Last February, I had trouble getting out of my driveway in about 3 feet of snow when my power went out. I intensely dislike winter snowstorms here in the Seattle area.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reminds families to be aware of safety in and around the home this winter. The agency offers these safety tips on three winter hazards:

Carbon monoxide

• Use portable generators outside your home and place them at least 20 feet away from the residence with exhaust pointed away from spaces where it can gather and be a hazard. Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed, or garage. The exhaust from portable generators contains poisonous carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes. 
• Most portable generator-related deaths from CO poisoning occur during the cold winter months. 
• Never leave a car running in a garage, even with the garage door open.
• Install CO alarms in your home on every level and outside all sleeping areas. Test CO alarms monthly. 
• See the CPSC’s video "Carbon Monoxide the Invisible Killer" for more information.

Tips for buying gift cards

Gift cards are a popular, convenient gift for the holidays. This holiday season, more than half of Americans plan to buy gift cards, according to the National Retail Federation. They’ll purchase an average of four gift cards worth about $49 each. Spending on gift cards is expected to reach $29.9 billion, up from last year’s $27.6 billion.

Although gift cards seem straightforward, it’s important that both the giver and the recipient read the details for each card to avoid problems, and to find out if additional requirements have been put on by the merchant or bank issuing the card, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Protections

Federal law provides protections for consumers who purchase gift cards, including store and restaurant gift cards, known as merchant cards. These cards can only be redeemed at the stores and restaurants that sell them. Bank gift cards – which carry the logo of a payment card network, for example, Visa or MasterCard – are also subject to federal law protections and can be used wherever the brand is accepted.

Return policies for 48 stores this holiday season

Not every gift is going to be perfect for its recipient. You may need to return some items after the present exchange.

Return policies

Stores have varying deadlines for returns. You need to know about them so you don’t try to return an item months later and find out you’ve missed the deadline.

Retailers often give consumers at least 30 days to return an item, and some allow more time. Certain stores give you 60 or 90 days, but there's usually a cutoff for getting cash back – after that, you’ll probably receive a gift card.

Some stores extend their return deadlines during the holiday season. Look for special return dates for purchases made in November and December. Apple, for example, usually gives you 14 days for returns. However, if you order your items online between Nov. 15 and Dec. 25, you’ll have until Jan. 8, 2020, to return them.

Receipts

Hopefully, your Christmas delivery will come with a receipt. Or, you’ll keep your receipt if you buy the gift in a store. If you don't have a receipt, you may be able to return an item and get store credit. However, some retailers will reject your return if you don’t have the receipt.

No returns

Retailer have varying policies, but really exclusive items, used items, and final sale products probably can’t be exchanged or returned. Remember to read the fine print or check the return policy before you ask for a return for these items.

Identification

Some retailers request a valid ID when you ask for a return. That’s because shoplifters are less likely to return an item for cash if they have to give their names. Plus, it helps retailers track irregular return patterns.

DealNews, a comparison shopping website, offers the following return policies for well-known stores:

Yes, boomers are doing O.K.

Carol Cassara of A Healing Spirit is still a Beatles fan, and, all these years later when she hears one of their songs, she’s instantly transported back to the 1960s. An image of a van, like the one in the photo, which was popular at the time, does the same thing. She just goes there.

Cassara also thinks about the 1960s when she reads posts by her favorite boomer bloggers. Some of their latest articles include:

• The most memorable Christmas.
• How to make Polish Sauerkraut Soup.
• The top three challenges to expect from “gray” divorce, divorce when couples are age 50 and older.
• A narrow escape on the freeway when a box truck veered off the highway toward the center median, then careened back onto it.
• How to plan goals for 2020 and beyond.
• The new, frozen Asian desserts.

Cassara writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #627. Click here to get the links to the articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers appreciate hearing from readers. It makes their day.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist