Robert Fowler | Boomer 55+ Places to Live and Retire

Boomers: How to Find a Cheap Vacation

Get a Reduced Rate on Your Vacation Accommodations & Have a Cheap Vacation. What have you found shopping for a Great Rate on Vacation Lodging? This works to save you money on vacations.

Boomers: Need a Cheap Vacation?

Want to go somewhere warm and with a beach? You bet! We all do. Here are a few ideas to save money while taking a nice vacation & no coupons required, offers or daily deals! The first question you have to ask yourself is do I want to vacation in the US or outside of the US. If you vacation in the USA then I recommend vrbo.com That is Vacation Rentals By Owner. I have rented from them about 7 times and I have been very satisfied most of the time. I re-rented with one of the owners about 4 times. I believe we both got a good deal. I paid 100% in advance and did not damage the property. I tried to take care of it as if it were my own. The owner took some risk on me the 1st time but the additional times, there was no risk and they knew what they were getting and they liked what they got. Here is how I selected my housing. I searched VRBO’s website for a housing that met my requirements.

You can select Pet Friendly, Smoking Permitted, etc. I narrow it down to 5 properties and if possible, I try to find listing with an owner in the state I reside. I think as a local, the owner might not worry as much as he see’s that I live locally too. If the owner is nervous, they may hedge on giving you a good price. I read each of the 5 ads and call with a question or two. If an owner does not respond then I am done with them. If I speak to an owner and they sound difficult then I am done with them. If I can not get a net price from an owner, then guess what? I am done with them. I want a price that includes all charges tax, cleaning fee, etc. I compare prices and I have seen differences of up to $300. for the same # bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.

I think some of the owners bought a bad deal or are strapped for money and this is what they “feel” they have to charge. That is why what they are charging is so out of touch. They would be better to price aggressively as it is better to get some rent than no rent. Some indicate by phone that they will negotiate, some indicate their price is firm. I don’t want a low price and a tough owner but then I will not accept a high price and an easy owner. Have you every bought a used car from an individual? Did the individual think that their vehicle was worth more than the market? That is a frequent complaint. Sometimes the owners fit this criteria. My repeat owner has done me special favors liked cleaned up the condo early from the last people so I could leave my stuff and attend a wedding. I always send my $ to the owner earlier than they require and I think they like that. To my repeat owner, I pay in full even when not required because I want to make them feel good about the rental.

I like to vacation where I have been and enjoy. We eat where we like and enjoy. We typically eat where the “locals” eat. To do that I try to meet and talk with some one before I ask about a place to eat. Sometimes people are disappointed when they do this but I think it is because they ask just anyone for a good place to eat instead of talking at length with some one who you think after talking with them would maybe recommend a good place. If you hear about a place more than once, that is a good sign. One of the best sources would be a concierge at a hotel. You have to be candid with them to get a place that meets your requirements. If you are looking for a fast food restaurant, then ask someone who eats or works in a fast food restaurant but you might want not to ask someone who works in a fast food restaurant about a fine dining place.

If I have a good waiter in a restaurant, I will ask them about another restaurant for food that does not compete with them. If I am in a store and either the clerk or the owner seem like people who I feel might have some good suggestions, I will ask them. Sometimes I eat at chains that are good and not near where I live but are easily available when I am on vacation. See a previous post for how I get the best deal on gas & hotels. I have stopped at the state welcome center for their coupon booklets but I have them now in my favorites and I can view some of them on line instead of stopping at the welcome center

Originally posted 2011-12-23 14:13:45.

Your Feelings Do Count

It appears that lately, I have been writing a lot about feelings, which is true. I have. Our feelings are a natural process of our thoughts and intentions. They can be negative or positive. Feelings should not be ignored but must not overtake us to the point that we feel paralyzed by them.

It appears that lately, I have been writing a lot about feelings, which is true. I have.

Our feelings are a natural process of our thoughts and intentions. They can be negative or positive. Feelings should not be ignored but must not overtake us to the point that we feel paralyzed by them. I am not a physician, psychologist, clergy or a person with a degree in feelings. The one thing that I am is human and you are too if you are reading this blog. Feelings are something that we all have and deal with in life. Many articles have been written about feelings therefore always remember that they are important. As human beings we must pay attention to our feelings. Denying them will do no good. Feelings have a way of manifesting themselves in many ways. By paying attention to them we can find ways to lessen pain and make changes from negative to positive or accept what is in our life. For me writing is the best way that I can begin to get my feelings out in the open and put them into perspective. Until I have done this, I do not feel peace. It is a wonderful thing to know that peace can be regained when we are willing to work toward it. Hopefully by sharing some thoughts with you, you will be inspired to love yourself and know that your feelings are important in order to know peace.

First, I will say that you are not alone. Also being truthful with ourselves is not always easy. It takes practice. Sometimes it may be necessary to feel pain in order to do the work needed to regain peace. Remember, it is our thinking that gets us into trouble. We need to get our thoughts back on the right track. You are not less than or more than, you are you. No one likes to admit that they are not perfect but for me that is the first step. When I become uncomfortable enough it becomes easier. So here it goes. I am doing it now with your help as you read and I write.

If you are physically sick, tired, lonely, or any other negative emotion then admit it. I have been the greatest offender of saying, “Oh, it is a beautiful day, I should not feel this way.” I am here to tell you the weather is not the problem. Maybe you are over worked, grieving a loss or missing a love one. Get honest! Then and only then can you get control of your thoughts and take the steps necessary to feel better.
When I was a child my parents taught me to always say NO when offered a treat, gift or something. I can remember putting on a false smile, pushing back the tears and wanting so bad to say yes. I know today that I was taught false pride. Not only that, I was cheating another person out of the good feel of giving. Practice changing old tapes in your head and replace them with healthy ones. It is okay to trust.
There was a time when I worked two jobs and gave one hundred and fifty per cent at both of them. As some of you do, I then had to have the cleanest house, the manicured lawn and everything in its correct place. I denied that I needed rest and put everyone else before me. Relax, it is okay to not be super human.
As a child I was lead to believe that I was suppose to love everyone but it was not important if I was not loved. It is important! BELIEVE that you are loving and deserve love.

Your feelings are important. They are sending you a message. Listen closely to them. Write them down. Talk to someone about them. Own them. Get help if you need it. Do not deny them. Take charge! Be the special person that you really are and know PEACE! If or when they get out of order keep practicing and each time it will become easier because not only will you love yourself, you will love PEACE.

By the way, thank you! Writing did really help and I hope to read what you have to write. 🙂

Originally posted 2011-06-28 21:23:26.

Don’t Be a Baby Boomer Know It All

After age 50 Boomers can feel like you have done it all – and you probably have. It’s the “been there done that” feeling and attitude. But don’t become a boomer know it all. Here’s how.

After age 50 you can feel like you have done it all – and you probably have. It’s the “been there done that” feeling and attitude. A lifetime of experiences remain with us boomers and we recall them to help us deal with life today and sometimes to share with others to guide them with our lessons learned.

At this stage of life you can feel confident in what you are doing and feel you can handle anything thrown at you. But if you think you always have the right comprehension of every situation, you may be a know it all.

If you have an opinion on everything regardless if you actually know anything about the subject, you may be a “know it all”.

Know it alls like to bombard their ideas and perils of wisdom to impress and show their perceived superior knowledge of a subject to elevate themselves above others. (Sounds like most of the talking heads on TV doesn’t it!)

Know it alls have a way of putting others down by implication since obviously they know it all and you know nothing except what is learned from them.

Sometimes we Boomers use our experience to give “what you should do..” advice to those younger than us. Too much of this can be tiring to those on the receiving end and will qualify you for the “know it all” moniker.

So what can you do to overcome being viewed as a “know it all”?

Be a lifelong learner curious to learn new things and asking questions to gain more knowledge. Being a student rather than a teacher. A know it all attitude will make it harder to learn.

Realize you can’t impart your knowledge just by giving a discourse of what you know. You can spark an interest in learning in others and let them learn from their own experiences.

Don’t do all the talking or be overbearing when talking with a less experienced younger person. This will result in the other party not contributing to the discussion because you already know it all.

At this age do you really need to impress others with an impression you know everything.

It seems the older you get the more we reflect back and recall some boomer stories of our life experiences from our past. But in conversations with younger people when listening to one of their current experiences don’t try to top it by telling your story about doing the same thing (only bigger or better).

Be humble and respect other people’s views and experiences. You may actually learn something. If you don’t know something, say so.

Realize your comprehension of truth is yours but others may have a different comprehension from their experience. Respect differences.

These are some things that I will try to keep in mind myself so I don’t appear as a know it all. I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Someone said “I retired from being a know it all, it was too hard to keep up!”

Originally posted 2014-05-26 10:09:07.

Baby Boomers And Pain Management

As boomers age it is normal to have a certain amount of pain. There are those that suffer from acute pain or chronic pain. There are over 75 million people that suffer from pain due to diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Some boomers think the pain is imaginary, but it is not. There are boomers that suffer from arthritis, fibromyalgia, low back pain, headaches and neurogenic pain to list but a few. Relationships are affected and job performances can be difficult. We boomers need to get the best that we can out of life therefore there are things that we can do. Above all, see a physician and follow his advice. There is hope.

As boomers age it is normal to have a certain amount of pain. There are those that suffer from acute pain or chronic pain. Messages are sent to our brains which says, “Ouch that hurts so stop.” The brain sends the message to the body part as pain. Unfortunately we can not always stop. There are over 75 million people that suffer from pain due to diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Some boomers think the pain is imaginary, but it is not. Stress is one of the main culprits of pain. Inflammation causes pain.

There are boomers that suffer from arthritis, fibromyalgia, low back pain, headaches and neurogenic pain to list but a few. Relationships are affected and job performances can be difficult. We boomers need to get the best that we can out of life therefore there are things that we can do. Above all, see a physician and follow his advice. There is hope.

Here are some things that you may want to try doing on your own to aid in the healing process of pain or to help you cope.

Alleviate as much stress out of your life as possible. Exercise each day. Even a short walk will help. Instead of watching a boring rerun on television take a short walk. Stretch to loosen those stiff muscles and joints. Maybe lift a few cans while cooking and count. Bend over a few more times than necessary to tie your shoes. Go back and forth toe then heal. Give those calves a stretch.
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Peaches, bananas and berries are very good for pain. Actually fruit salad makes a delicious snack instead of potato chips. Try keeping a container of raw vegetables in the refrigerator for quick access. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower,radishes, and even spinach leafs are good. Olive oil and whole grain has been know to help pain. Try those new whole grain crackers that are flavored with olive oil and garlic. Keep a container of whole grain pasta prepared and refrigerated. There are many things that you can mix with pasta cold or hot. Eat more oats. Try to avoid sugar,milk and flour as much as possible.
Try deep breathing and meditation. Deep breathing can help clear the lungs. Start slow and work up to longer periods. The more you do, the better you will get. Set aside time for this. Try it while you are waiting on a friend to visit or bored on a rainy day.

Focus on the present and stay centered. Again, the more that you practice this the easier it will become. Think positive thoughts. Let your mind go to pleasurable places. The mind is very powerful. It will try to play tricks on you. Be patient and soon you will be in the drivers seat. Let pain know that you are in charge not IT.

There are many places out there to get help such as pain management centers, physical therapy offices, physician’s practices, yoga and meditation classes, holistic medicines, and massage therapy. Then there is the pain pill and patches. No matter what we boomers choose we still must do the work. Make a decision. Discuss options with a health care person. Put your best foot forward and do what you can. After all, why not get the best that you can out of life by working to defeat pain or learning to deal with it.

Originally posted 2011-08-03 16:11:59.

Encore Careers for Baby Boomers

Today, thanks to healthier lifestyles and innovations in pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, people are living longer, more active lives well past the age of retirement. As the baby boomer generation moves into their senior years, this often creates a need to continue working – to combat boredom, earn income so they don’t outlive their retirement accounts, or simply because they want to add another interesting stage to their lives.

If you have earned the right to retire, but are not looking to put up your feet poolside, wander the highways in your RV, or live out the rest of your days relaxing on your front porch, you may want to take this opportunity to begin an “encore career.” You can branch out to do something completely different from what you’ve dedicated the majority of your working career to. Recent studies have shown that there are already 9 million baby boomers ages 59 to 70 working in such encore careers – focusing less on gathering a nest-egg, and more on attaining personal fulfilment in a cause greater than mere financial gain.

Encore careers often revolve around helping others or making the world a better place. Baby boomers are finding personal fulfillment, stimulation, and new learning as educators, social workers, mentors, or even missionaries. Although the economy is still struggling and many people are out of work, with a lifetime of experience in your portfolio, it is easier than you may believe to launch a second career in your 60s, 70s, or even 80s.

If you’re considering such a career change after retirement, you do not have to leave behind the skills you have already learned. You can put your hard-won expertise to work to find a rewarding position. If you worked as an executive or manager, many non-profit organizations would be happy to take advantage of your leadership abilities. If you worked in customer service, a help-line may be just the social-service job for you.

To find an encore career that offers personal fulfillment, do a search of non-profit organizations that speak to your personal passion, and give them a call to see what positions might be up your alley. For active baby boomers, retirement can be a time of rediscovery of your passions and an exciting new phase of your life.

Find Boomer Jobs

Originally posted 2014-08-07 19:48:01.

Boomer Stories: The Parrot Was Set Free

She put him in his cage as the blood ran down her finger and had a few words to say to the parrot. These were her words, “You are just like one of my ex husbands that bite the hand of the person that feeds you so guess what? I am getting rid of you just like I did him!”

Now I do not claim to be a bird expert and this story will tell you why. Many years ago I took my yearly vacation to visit my brother and his wife in Florida. On arriving at their house I noticed a beautiful parrot had been added to their family along with Albert and Duchess the great Danes. Unfortunate for me they had to leave for work soon after my arrival. That was the beginning of my bird story.

I sat down in the lazy boy chair to do a little relaxing. The next thing I knew the parrot was flying around the room making a lot of funny noises. Now I didn’t know parrots had such big wings. So I stood up. The parrot came right at me. I ducked. Then here it came again. I took off to the kitchen. Here came the parrot. The next thing I knew it landed on my shoulder and was snapping at my ear. This was not very pleasant since I really needed my ear. When I would raise my hand toward the bird it would snap at my finger. By this time I was getting a little fearful because the bird had taken up permanent residence on my shoulder and had no intentions of leaving.

Since Albert the Great Dane was brave I decided to solicit his help. I slowly moved to the floor, laying on my stomach with bird climbing down my back. I called Albert over thinking he would take care of this bird situation but instead the bird snapped at Albert and Albert took off. Time passed and my nerves were quite on edge not knowing what to do with this bird on my shoulder that appeared to have a taste for my ear. I looked for a work phone number to call my brother but none to be found. My shoulder was aching, my heart was pounding and over an hour had gone by with bird still attached to me.

At this point I was willing to try anything so I found a telephone book and called an exotic bird shop to see if they could give me any suggestions of getting this dog gone bird off of my shoulder. I was somewhat hysterical when I made the call. The person on the other end of the telephone line was of no help at all and was very concerned that I was going to hurt the bird. No way. Hec, I couldn’t figure out how to even get my hands on it without coming up with a missing finger or something.

Then I came up with another idea. I got a towel out of the linen closet and slowly folded it over my lower arms and hands. Now the last thing I wanted to do was upset this bird that was still checking out my ear. Slowly but surely I raised my arms, threw the towel over the bird, made a quick move and off the bird flew but oh was he mad. He was diving at me again. I took off to the kitchen and grabbed a frying pan for protection but I didn’t want to hurt the bird. Plus now how would that have looked to my brother when he came home seeing his parrot laying in a frying pan.

Well I guess the parrot got tired of playing his silly game and went to his cage which pleased me very much. Cautiously I slammed the bird cage door and finally after many hours I was parrot safe.

Now that was a story that my brother truly enjoyed with his sense of humor but we made a deal parrot stays in cage or I go to a hotel. Now the only thing we could figure out was the parrot just loved my red hair. Who knows. Maybe he thought I was another parrot or something. Anyway, my sister-in-law came home from work not knowing of this happening because she worked late at night. The next morning, I came out of my bedroom to once again be greeted by a flying parrot. Lucky for me this time my sister-in-law grabbed the bird but it was not lucky for her.

The bird took a large bite out of her finger. Now I am here to tell you parrots make mistakes too and that was a BIG mistake. She put him in his cage as the blood ran down her finger and had a few words to say to the parrot. These were her words, “You are just like one of my ex husbands that bite the hand of the person that feeds you so guess what? I am getting rid of you just like I did him!”

Now that is the end of my bird story. My sister-in-laws finger healed, the parrot got a new home and my ear returned safely to the city of St. Louis. Oh and by the way, I have no desire to own a parrot even though they are beautiful birds at a distance. Every parrot has its place and that place is not with me! So now that I am almost 62 years old I just prefer watching a Robin sitting in a tree.

Originally posted 2010-12-22 15:27:22.