The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers are escaping and remaking

Boomer bloggers are in escape mode whether it’s from the cold, from their comfort zones, or from doing things that don’t benefit them.

They’re remedying their situations by being a snowbird and going to South Carolina and Florida, going on walking tours to reduce stress, mastering the art of career change, and remembering to take care of themselves, too.

Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski of Baby Boomster writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #583. To get the links to the articles, click here. And be sure to leave a comment. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top 14 consumer stories of 2018

All in all, it’s been another bad year for consumers. President Trump and his administration’s generate so much chaos that they get all the media attention. Meanwhile in the background, federal agencies are moving forward on the administration’s conservative regulatory priorities, which are harmful to consumers. One bright spot is the Democrats taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives. That will help curb President Trump's excesses.

Here are the top 14 consumer stories for 2018:

1. The Trump administration continues decimated consumer protections.

President Trump appointed Mick Mulvaney, his budget director, as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Under Mulvaney's leadership, the bureau reversed prior actions and programs of the agency. It has delayed rules to protect consumers from payday lenders, dropped lawsuits, stripped enforcements of fair-lending protections, and reduced the number of fines issued.

Baby boomers working on getting in gear for the New Year

It’s a new year and time to think about fresh starts, new goals, and another year under our belts. 

No matter life’s ups and downs, the baby boomer bloggers in our group keep writing articles and booming along.

This week they’re writing about travel, names for grandchildren, holiday spending, menopause bellies, work stress, and visioning.

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #579. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer Bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Facts and figures for the 2018 holidays

It’s that time of year. The holidays are upon us. Hanukkah has been celebrated and today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the least daylight and the longest night. Christmas is approaching rapidly as is Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

Celebrants

Nine-in-ten Americans — and 95 percent of Christians — say they celebrate Christmas, according to a Pew Research Center survey. These figures have generally held steady in recent years. Today, 46 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious rather than cultural holiday.

Will you be going into debt for holiday spending?

The 2018 holiday shopping season, like many before it, will be paid for largely by credit card debt.

After spending more than $1 trillion from November 2017 to January 2018, U.S. consumers began the new year owing more than $1 trillion to credit card companies for the first time. And even though credit card debt levels are going down a little each year, this holiday shopping season could change that.

What are consumers saying about their holiday shopping plans?  Thirty-five percent of people plan to spend more than $500 this year, according to WalletHub’s “2018 Holiday Shopping Survey.” In 2017, 33 percent said they spent that much.

Happy Labor Day

It’s difficult to figure out what to say on Labor Day 2018. With President Trump slashing consumer protections and workers’ rights almost daily, one could get depressed.

But the good thing I’m thinking about today is the years I’ve worked and what good career opportunities I’ve had. Ten years as a consumer journalist working as a free-lance writer and for four newspapers in the West. Nearly 20 years working for state government as a writer and planner. And my latest job, as a consumer journalist writing for two blogs for 10 years.

As a state worker, my union helped me when I had problems with supervisors. That help enabled me to work long enough to get a pension, which is important now to my quality of life.

Facts and figures for Labor Day 2018

Summer's ending, with Labor Day weekend coming up soon. WalletHub, a personal finance website, offers these facts and figures on Labor Day 2018:

Source: WalletHub

Copyright 2018, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

29 attorneys general file comments with FTC on role of states in consumer protection

Twenty-nine  attorneys general filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission on the significant role state attorneys general play in consumer protection, and asked the FTC to include states in the discussion as the agency holds public hearings on “Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21^st Century.”

In June, the FTC announced it would offer public hearings “on whether broad-based changes in the economy, evolving business practices, new technologies, or international developments might require adjustments to competition and consumer protection enforcement law, enforcement priorities, and policy.” The FTC asked comments by August 20.

“State Attorneys General are a critical line of defense, protecting consumers against the kinds of unfair and deceptive practices that are far too prevalent,” said  New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood. “At a time when consumers’ privacy, data, and security are often treated as commodities rather than sensitive information, this role is more vital than ever.”

Trump administration proposal to merge labor and education departments will harm children and workers

President Donald Trump’s administration recommended Thursday merging the U.S. departments of Education and Labor. The change would require congressional approval.

“The Trump administration’s DOA proposal to combine – and shrink – the departments of Education and Labor reveals its contempt for both the children and workers of America,” said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization. “While it is true that the Trump Department of Education gets a failing grade, America’s kids do need a robust department – to advance pre-K education, to ensure all children attain a quality education, to enforce civil rights and disability rights laws, to prevent rip-offs by predatory for-profit colleges and much more.”

In addition, the proposed department reorganization is also meant to further undermine crucial protections for workers, not enhance them, Weissman said.

Baby boomers offer tips on grief, retirement, survival tools, and gratitude

Getting ready to retire? Recently retired and facing challenges? Sorting travel options?

This week, our boomer blogging group offer articles on addressing suicide, creating a vision board, continuing to work rather than retiring, deciding where to live in retirement, adopting survival tools for the coming decades, and walking with gratitude.

Rebecca Olkowski blogging at Baby Boomster writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #551. Click here to get the links to the articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2018, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist