The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers venturing out some into the new pandemic world

These days, I’m still not going out much. I pick up groceries from my local food coop weekly and order everything else.

However, we’re having socially distance, outdoor events to celebrate the ratification of the 19^th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote. It was ratified 100 years ago on Aug. 18, 1920, when Tennessee became the 36^th state to approve votes for women. I’m photographing the events, four so far with the fifth and sixth, the final ones, tomorrow.

Meanwhile, boomer bloggers are writing about what’s happening in their lives these days:

Cars, home improvement top the list of consumer complaints for 2019, survey shows

Problems with car sales and repairs and home improvement and construction once again topped the list of complaints reported to state and local consumer agencies across the country, according to an annual survey by the Consumer Federation of America.

“When the used car you just bought breaks down or your new roof leaks, who are you going to call? asked Susan Grant, director of consumer protection and privacy for CFA. “It’s your state or local consumer agency.”

Grant conducted the survey, which included participation by 31 agencies from 19 states this year. It asked about the most common, the fastest-growing, and the worst complaints agencies received in 2019.

Top 10 complaints in 2019

These are the complaints most frequently cited as the top problems reported to state and local consumer agencies last year:

Happy Mother's Day 2020

I hope your Mother's Day is going well. For about the last 10 years, I've spent the month of May in Madrid with my daughter Lisa and her family. This year is very different. Although I bought a ticket in early March, it soon became apparent as the pandemic unfolded that I wouldn't be able to go this year. I'm tempted to head to Sacramento to visit my daughter Mona. However, that wouldn't be wise.

Also sad, Lisa and the kids won't be able to visit us this year in the United States in July, and, in addition, I won't be able to visit Spain for the holidays either.

For Mother's Day, Mona sent me flowers and chocolates, shown above, which were delivered Saturday. The delivery was a big surprise because the flowers were scheduled to come Monday. I opened the garage door to take a letter out to the mailbox. Right there, in my driveway was a white van with a guy was getting out of it. It was shocking because it's so long since I've had company or visited anyone.

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.

Happy Mother's Day

Daughters are about the best thing that a mom can get. I was lucky and got two of them.

I love celebrating Mothers' Day with my daughters and grandchildren. I like having the special day to remember how fortunate I am to have them and all the memories that we've made along the way. 

It seemed like no time at all that it took my daughters to grow up and leave home. Now, it's happening to my grandchildren. My oldest turned 18 and is headed to college. The twins are 15 and are amazingly tall. They'll be in college, too, before we know it. 

So, I'm thankful today for my daughters and grandchildren. They're strong new generations, making a way for themselves in a challenging world.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Personal Finance Writer

Facts and figures for Easter 2019

Source: WalletHub

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Personal Finance Writer

Baby boomers enjoy spring

The wildflowers are blooming like crazy in Southern California due to the unusually heavy rains and mountain snows. And, so many people were flocking to see the blooming hillsides that local officials had to close down some areas because the flowers were being trampled.

Rebecca Olkowski of BabyBoomster gives us the flower report and tells us boomer bloggers are writing about how we make judgments, which fruits and vegetables have the most and least pesticides, whether age should be a consideration when electing someone to office, how yoga helps seniors, grand sitting mishaps, and good tours in a hometown.

Olkowski writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #590. 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, Personal Finance Writer

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

UDSA needs to do more to protect the public from Salmonella contamination in meat and poultry, consumer group says

The U.S. Department of Agriculture needs to exercise its authority under the law to set and enforce more rigorous standards to protect consumers from Salmonella contamination in meat and poultry, a report by the Consumer Federation of America recommends.

Illnesses from Salmonella in the United States have remained about the same during the past decade. However, in the European Union they’ve declined dramatically during the same period, to less than half what they once were, due to a farm-to-fork Salmonella control initiative launched in 2003.

In the last few months, a rash of Salmonella outbreaks linked to meat and poultry has caused hundreds of illnesses.

It’s the 100th Anniversary of World War I

On the 100^th Anniversary of World War I, a ceremonial ringing of bells will be occurring in communities across the country and the world as 11 a.m. crosses their time zones. 

Veterans Day, which became a national holiday in 1938, is a day to recognize the contributions of the nation’s veterans.

It was formerly called Armistice Day. The Armistice of 1918, ending World War I, was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

In 1954, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day.

Copyright 2018, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist