The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers enjoying the New Year and making plans for 2020

Last week, I was fortunate to be able to attend a conference in San Diego on women’s history. Sponsored by the National Women’s History Alliance, an organization that promotes women’s history, the conference featured discussions on how to plan activities to celebrate the 100^th anniversary this year of women getting the vote in 1920.

The Washington delegation offered a presentation on “From Bloomers to Short Shorts: A Brief History of the Right to Wear Pants.” I portrayed Fay Fuller, who, in 1890, was the first known woman to climb Mount Rainier.

Boomer bloggers in the Best of Boomer Blogs are also writing about what’s up for 2020:

Tom at Sightings Over Sixty came across several new state rankings for retirement in 2020. So this week he puts them all together and gives us the highlights and the low lights about retirement meccas from Hawaii to Florida to Vermont. Check out "Best States to Retire In – 2020" to see if your state made the Top Ten Best List, or Top Ten Worst list.

For the New Year, Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin writes about trying new things. Whether it’s eating at a new restaurant, starting a new job, or buying a new pair of shoes, we’ve all tried new things in our lives. It’s part of life and it’s part of growing up. But sometimes, when we're about to start something new, we become unsure and let fear creep in. Koshak discusses why it's important to try new things in “When Was the Last Time You Tried Something New.”

Carol Cassara of A Healing Spirit has a tip if learning is on your list of 2020 resolutions. Cassara was relieved to know that yoga can be practiced without having to contort one's body in unnatural (or natural) poses. She tells us we don't have to use our body at all to be a yogi in “How Can You Practice Karma Yoga.”

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting began the New Year by traveling once again. Baer spent a lot of time on the road the past two weeks not driving, or rather not necessarily moving along. Her trip began with a bit of a problem at the airport, as she recounts in this week’s post, "Winter Brea(down – Almost)."

For the New Year, Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com has updated her best online exercise programs for women over 50 as she’s found some new and exciting programs you can enjoy from the comfort of your home. 

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles, on the other hand, tell us about an activity that she admits to liking throughout the year. She eavesdrops sometimes. She tries not to, but can’t help it. And her favorite place for eavesdropping is her local java joint. She's there for lunch an embarrassing amount of time. (O.K., almost every day). She brings her laptop and works. But here’s the interesting thing. Fascinating insights can be gleaned by “accidentally” listening into the following groups…

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #632. Click on the links to read these great articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

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

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

Baby boomers spend time on holiday preparations and end-of-year reflections

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting was flying high this week, with a short airline ride to enjoy the company of her grandkids. She sat for hours in stiff steel bleachers waiting for her granddaughters’ teams to compete in cheerleading, got manicures and pedicures, sampled Asian ice cream, baked cookies, strolled a craft fair, and witnessed the usual family feuds, which she didn’t take part in.  

Meanwhile, her baby boomer blogging friends spent time this week on end-of-year reflections and holiday preparations:

• Why manifesting stuff won’t make you happy.
• How “free trial offers” can turn bad and cost you money.
• How the size and style of the family Christmas tree changes over the years.
• How to make your own self-care toolkit for the holidays.
• What we can do to help ourselves live longer and feel better.
• What makes someone young and someone old is a state of mind.

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #626. Click here to get the links to the articles. And, be sure and join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers enjoy sharing ideas with readers.

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

What to buy and not buy in December

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but there are still deals to be had. Watch the sales, and you can find bargains. However, there are some items you want to avoid buying in December. Here’s what Dealnews.com recommends you look for and avoid in December:

What to buy before Christmas

• DVDs and blu-rays
• Gift cards
• Jewelry
• Headphones

What to buy after Christmas

• Toys, but particularly video games
• Holiday decor

What not to buy in December

• Exercise equipment
• Bedding
• Winter clothing

For details, see “The Six Best Things to Buy in December (Including After Christmas Sales).”

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

It’s Black Friday: Are you ready?

It’s estimated that 116 million people will be shopping on Black Friday, either in stores or online.

It’s the biggest shopping day of the year, and it can be a good day to find bargains if you’ve compared prices and done research on which stores are offering the best deals.

Another shopping tip is to make a holiday budget so you aren’t tempted by impulse items.

You also need to know which items – such as winter clothing, major appliances, and fitness equipment – shouldn’t be purchased on Black Friday because they’ll often be cheaper later.

What not to buy on Black Friday

In order to get the best deals on Black Friday, be sure to make a shopping plan in advance. In addition, you also need to know what not to buy on Black Friday. Not every deal is a good deal, even on the biggest sales holiday of the year. So, before you start shopping, check out the following list from Dealnews.com on what not to buy on Black Friday:

Winter clothing

There's a 15 percent tariff on many products imported from China, including most clothing and textiles. That means even the best deals will probably be more expensive than they were last year.

Winter apparel may be an even worse buy on Black Friday, as retailers won't start clearing out winter gear until late in the season. You'll likely see better sales for winter wear in January than November — but due to tariffs, you can still expect to pay a little more.

Baby boomers seeking inner peace and keeping active

Baby boomers are writing about what keeps them steady – not only in this crazy world – but also during this, at times, challenging stage of life.

Articles include:

• Four easy relaxation ideas.
• A new mantra for meditation
• How an inspirational blogger found her purpose on vacation.
• How being retired can make you wonder, “What’s Next?”
• Why the TV program “Law and Order” popped up in thoughts during the latest presidential debates.

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles writes about these articles on the Best of Boomer Blogs #614. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to let the bloggers know your opinions. They enjoy hearing from interesting readers.

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

Baby boomers contemplate life’s problems

It’s still beautiful summer, but hints are beginning to appear that fall and winter will come again as they always do.

Meanwhile, baby boomer bloggers are continuing to write helpful, insightful articles:

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting spent the past week recovering from her two-week trip to Scotland. As Baer laments, years ago she would have bounced back the next day. Nowadays it takes longer to rejuvenate. Meanwhile, she reviews the cuisine and a bit of culture experienced in the land of kilts, Celts, clans, and literary greats.

When you’re thinking about an exercise program and you’re age 50 and older, you may want to incorporate functional fitness. On Rebecca Olkowski’s blog, BabyBoomster.com, Candi Randolph, a guest blogger, explains why this is so important.

If you’re thinking of starting a blog or are already a blogger, Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin has some tips for you. Koshak has compiled a lot of her knowledge into her current blog post, “My Go-To Blog Resources.”

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty recently sat down with a couple who is considering where they're going to live, now that they are retired and their kids are grown and out of the house. They have their eye on a smaller home in a nice vacation area. But as Tom discusses in “Should This Couple Downsize?”  there are still lots of issues to consider and questions to ask.  

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles gets a cold chill when she hears these words. Like someone with post-traumatic stress syndrome, her pulse increases. Her stomach tightens. She starts feeling light-headed. Did she hear that right? Maybe she got it wrong. But yes, her husband Randy just uttered that most dreaded of sentences: “I’m Going Food Shopping.”

On my blog, I write about the 50^th anniversary of Woodstock and what the Countercultural Movement of the 1960s and 1970s meant to me.

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #610. Be sure to read these thoughtful articles and join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers look forward to hearing from readers.

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

After years of delay, FDA bans surgical mesh for pelvic repair

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered the manufacturers of all surgical mesh products for the transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse to stop selling their products in the United States beginning April 16.

The FDA said the agency “has determined that the manufacturers, Boston Scientific and Coloplast, have not demonstrated a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for these devices.” In February, Public Citizen, a citizen advocacy organization, testified before an FDA advisory committee and urged the agency to ban the products. Public Citizen first petitioned for a ban in 2011, which the agency denied in 2014.    

“Although we welcome this long-overdue action, this ban comes too late for the thousands of women who have been irreparably harmed by these devices, long after the FDA knew the devices had ‘not demonstrated a reasonable assurance of safety,’” said Michael Carome, M.D., director, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group. “Since at least 2011, there has been clear evidence that these products are unsafe for treating pelvic organ prolapse and lack any clinically significant benefits.”