The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers face 2019 in a variety of ways

Getting going on 2019 is creating a bit of a challenge for me. I got back from a five-week visit to Spain on Dec. 27 and was gung ho about getting started on new writing projects among other things.

Then I got a cold or the flu. That’ slowing me down.

In addition, I’m writing an article on the top 10 consumer stories of 2018. It’s taking me hours to do research on things such as how much Trump’s Tariff War is costing consumers and how many people had their data breached during 2018. I just finished Item No. 7, so it looks like I’ll be done soon.

Anyway, things looked bleak for consumers in 2018, and the government shutdown is depressing. For 2019, it looks like more of the same.

Meanwhile, here’s what the baby boomers bloggers in the Best of Boomer Blogs are writing about:

Jennifer Kosha of Unfold and Begin went through an overwhelming year last year which included one move and packing for a second move all while decorating and then undecorating for the holidays all while her mother was in hospice care. During all of this craziness, Koshak realized that she needed to simplify and decided that simple will be her word for 2019. She wants to learn how to slow down, keep it simple, and stop over complicating things. Join Koshak as she also starts a year-long program of extreme self-care starting with her January Keep It Simple calendar.

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting can't believe another year is gone. In her post “Cross Off Another Year,” Baer considers how it seems that time passes at a faster rate as we age.  

At A Healing Spirit, Carol Cassara discusses the nature of being human and the best response to challenges. Everyone draws a different hand of cards and life is all about how the hand is played.

Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com was feeling lazy after the holidays and wrote about the benefits of being lazy without feeling guilty about it. Read all about it in her article “Six Ways to Embrace Laziness and Not Feel Guilty About It.”

On Sightings Over Sixty, Tom Sightings writes about “10 Things That Are Good for Us” and “10 Things to Avoid If You Want to Stay Healthy.” Check out his articles and see if you agree with his research. Pets are on the bad list.

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #578. Please click on the links to read the articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Happy New Year to American consumers everywhere

What will 2019 hold for consumers throughout the nation? It’s difficult to say, but one thing for sure is that 2018 has been a tough year for consumers.

I’m in the process of writing my annual article about the top consumer stories of the year just passed. For 2018, there wasn’t much good news.

Deregulation efforts by the Trump administration brought the weakening of environmental regulations such as coal companies can now dump coal waste into streams. And, efforts by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help consumers have been stymied with policies such as gutting student loans protections put in place.

How to return holiday gifts

About a third of American consumers returned holiday gifts last year. Hopefully, you kept your receipts and aren’t on a long vacation so you can take care of your returns efficiently and promptly.

The Better Business Bureau offers these tips for your holiday returns:

The seller’s return policy. If you don’t recall what the seller’s return policy is, check its website or the back of the receipt. If you have questions, call the store to ask about what you want to return. Retail stores may have different return policies than the company’s online website.

How is your Christmas Day going?

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate this day, the annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.

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.

Consumers spent about $1,007 for the holiday season this year, up 4.1 percent from the $967 spent last year, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. Hopefully, you kept your receipts so you can return clothes that don't fit or gifts that didn't meet their mark in terms of pleasing the recipient.

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.

Baby boomers, the holidays, and thoughts for December

Do you, your partner, or a family member have a birthday in December?

Rebecca Olkowski of Baby Boomster’s birthday was Sunday, and it was a big day in many ways because she turned 65. Olkowski reports as a December baby, she’s used to sharing her birthday with all the holiday traditions that take place during the month. In some ways, it’s fun, Olkowski says, because it’s a festive time of year, but December birthdays always get mixed up with everything else. December babies are used to receiving combo birthday–Christmas–Hanukkah presents. It’s part of the deal, she says.

Olkowski reports, in the Best of Boomer Blogs #577, that boomer bloggers are writing about the holiday topics of how to create new holiday traditions and how to handle grief at the holidays.

Boomers cope as the holidays are upon us

The holiday season is here. My daughter and I have been shopping and we’re planning the Christmas Eve dinner. We’ll be having roast beef again, my son-in-law’s favorite, and making pumpkin and chocolate cream pie. The twins, now teens, like pie – finally. In years past, we’ve made birthday cake-style Christmas cakes because they didn’t like pies.

But sometimes, the holidays are tough, Carol Cassara tell us on Heart·Mind·Soul. Cassara said four of her loved ones died over this holiday and so, for her, it’s always tinged with grief. If you’re having a tough holiday, she offers some advice at “If You Don’t Feel That Holiday Sparkle.”

Cassara reports other boomer bloggers in our group are writing about:

Do you like fruitcake? I do

Photo: SMC

I love fruitcake, especially the English-style fruitcake that I learned to make when I lived in Australia.

It was quite a learning experience. My first teaching job was at East Sydney Girls High School and I was teaching cooking.

I had to demonstrate to the kids how to make fruitcake, the traditional cake of the country, like England, where it’s what most people have for a wedding cake.

Baby boomers focus on the holidays and life’s ups and downs

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting went to her town’s official party to usher in the holiday season, a Saturday evening with a holiday parade and block party. It rained early in the day, but by the 5 p.m. start, no rain fell and the temperature was almost balmy. Fire engines, school bands, home-made floats, and enthusiastic spectators created a festive atmosphere. 

Other boomer bloggers are writing about:

• Creating a calendar for the holidays to help you enjoy the time and stress less over it.
• Researching whether a charity you’ve heard about it a good choice.
• Recounting stories of holidays past.
• Contemplating our life’s journey.
• Being a caregiver to someone who is chronically ill.

Baer writes about these articles for the Best of Boomer Blogs #575. 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

Have the interest rates gone up on your credit cards?

Many consumers sign up for credit cards without paying too much attention to the interest rate. They may not notice that the credit card issued by a retailer has a much higher interest rate than one they’d get from Visa or Master Card.

In the past several years, credit card interest rates and debt have risen substantially, increasing consumer costs by tens of billions of dollars each year. For example, interest rate on credit card accounts rose steadily from 12.95 percent in 2013 to 16.46 percent in August 2018, an increase of 27 percent, according to Federal Reserve Board data. The credit card interest rate is the highest in this century.

These interest rate increases are going to make holiday purchases with credit cards more expensive. Consumers with high credit card debt levels should be cautious about increasing their debt during the holiday season, said Steve Brobeck, a senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America.