The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

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

Top-mount refrigerators recalled by Haier America due to fire hazard

Haier is recalling about 137,000 top-mount refrigerators.

An electrical component in the refrigerator can short circuit, posing a fire hazard.

Haier America has received three reports of smoke, fire, and property damage. No injuries have been reported. 

This recall involves the Haier models HA10TG31 with 10.1 cubic foot capacity. They measure about five feet high and two feet wide. The Haier logo is located on the refrigerator door. Only the following models and serial numbers are included in this recall. Model and serial numbers can be found on the rating plate on the back of the refrigerator’s rear panel.

Heavy metals found in packaged baby, toddler foods, Consumer Reports says

Nine out of 10 parents with kids under the age of three feed their children packaged food at least occasionally, according to a Consumer Reports survey. So Consumer Reports’ analyzed 50 packaged foods from nine brands, including baby cereals, packaged fruits and vegetables, entrées, and snacks, such as cookies, crackers, and puffs.

The testing focused on arsenic, cadmium, and lead, which can be harmful to the health and development of young children.

Sixty-eight percent of the tested products had “worrisome” levels of at least one heavy metal, and organic foods that Consumer Reports tested were just as likely to contain heavy metals as non-organic.

Other findings include:

Watch out for online nanny and caregiving job scams

Finding a new job can be a challenge. Websites can help you find work, but scammers also use these sites to find people to rip off.

Do you look for work on caregiver/nanny job sites? Sometimes scammers will offer a job but say you need to buy supplies or other equipment, said Carol Kando-Pineda, attorney for the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. They pressure you to act quickly, before you have time to think. They send you a check and tell you to deposit it and transfer money to their vendor to buy the supplies.

Don’t do it — scammers post fake job listings for nannies and caregivers, then make up elaborate stories to get your money, Kando-Pineda said. The positions seem real, but they’re not — it’s a scam. The check will bounce. So, the money you sent is actually your own — and it’s gone.