Welcome to Boomer411. We hope you will visit again. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed.

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

It’s not unusual these days for baby boomers to be working for younger bosses.

It’s a difficult situation, says Rachel Zupek, writing on CareerBuilder.com.

Today, it’s not uncommon for four generations – each with its own attitudes, perceptions, and values – to work side-by-side in the workplace. This sometimes makes it challenging for older workers to adapt.

It’s hard on boomers’ self esteem when younger bosses appear on the scene. In addition, younger generations tend to believe they have all the answers, and younger workers have a sense of urgency about the handling the latest challenge rather than reflecting on the best solution, according to Zupek’s article “Are You the Oldest Worker On the Team?”

Zupek offers these 10 tips to help you deal with adjusting to a younger boss:

1. Recognize that an important factor in managing any relationship is understanding the other person’s point of view.
2. Don’t assume traditional boss behaviors.
3. Never let ‘em see you sweat.
4. Keep an open mind.
5. Learn new things and look at things differently.
6. Use your experience to temper any potential insecurity about having a younger boss.
7. Help your boss get established.
8. Listen.
9. Spend time with your boss one on one.
10. Be the employee your boss doesn’t have to manage.

For additional tips on dealing with a younger boss, see:

“Younger Boss, Older Worker” — EmploymentDigest.net

“Bridge the Generation Gap with a Younger Boss” — Yahoo!hotjobs

“Meet the Young(er) Boss” — Christian Science Monitor

“Tips on How to Bridge the Generation Gap with Your Younger Boss” — Human Resource Solutions

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

Although we had a couple of sunny weeks in October, the winter rains are now descending on the Pacific Northwest. Today it’s raining, sometimes pouring, and 52 degrees.

All fall, I’ve been dreaming about living in California. One place I’ve thought about retiring to is San Luis Obispo. With a population of 44,174, it’s halfway between Sacramento, where my oldest daughter lives, and Los Angeles, where my youngest daughter may move.

When my California daughter went to visit San Luis Obispo recently, she bought me a copy of a new biannual magazine called San Luis Obispo County: An Insider’s Guide to California’s Natural Escape. The Insiders Guide reports:

• Cultural activities include plays, a symphony, festivals, art shows and galleries, and music.
• Educational and cultural opportunities at California Polytechnical State University.
• A farmers’ market with 120 vendors and an estimated 10,000 weekly shoppers.
• An elephant seal rookery north of San Simeon.
• The William Randolph Hearst Castle, rising from a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean near San Simeon.
• Dozens of vineyards, many with wine bars and specialty tastings.

In North San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles also is appealing to me. I’d like to live in co-housing, and the city, with a population of 28,639, has a co-housing complex. However, my daughter told me Paso Robles is further inland than the city of San Luis Obispo, and it can get very hot in the summer. That’s a drawback for me.

What’s boomer living like in this part of California?

My daughter also sent me an Oct. 19, 2008, newspaper article from The Tribune, San Luis Obispo’s newspaper, called “Four More Boomer Stories.” It describes these couples:

• Susan and Ed Cox moved to Morro Bay on the coast from Southern California for a mellower lifestyle. Both educators, they worked when they moved, but Susan, 61, has retired for a second time. Ed, 63, is an executive coach, and he plans to continue to work for at least five years.
• Boomer Carolyn Elliott, 45, has an aggressive approach in saving for retirement. Elliot works in a salon and owns a permanent makeup business. Elliott could retire at 55 or 60, but it’s likely she’ll work longer.
• Gayle Hulburt and William Kennedy moved from Colorado to Trilogy, a community that’s drawing boomers with amenities such as a golf course and swimming pool. They sold their basement finishing company when they moved, but Hurlburt, 56, works as a Web site developer.
• Dennis Delzeit, 62, worked for 13 years as director of public works/city engineer for Pismo Beach, a city on the coast in South San Luis Obispo County. Delzeit plans to work as a part-time consultant in retirement. His wife, Sherrie, is a retired social worker.

But, is living in California all sunshine and happiness?

I read a sobering article in AARP Bulletin, the Oct. 1, 2008, issue, called “Why Are More Older Americans Sleeping in Their Cars?”

In Santa Barbara, Calif., an ultra-affluent oceanfront city surrounded by mountains south of San Luis Obispo County and 95 miles north of Los Angeles, a grandmother sleeps in her Jeep Grand Cherokee. The woman, whose name wasn’t used in the article, recently owned two homes worth nearly $2 million. She was unable to sell her homes or pay the $10,000-a-month mortgage payments, so she declared bankruptcy in 2005. A year later, she lost both properties.

To help people who work and can afford cars, gas, and insurance, Santa Barbara provides recently homeless people the opportunity to sleep in their cars every evening in a dozen private and municipal parking lots throughout the city, according to the AARP Bulletin article. Two social workers check the lots each night as part of a safe parking project.

Most of these homeless people are over 50 and have been driven out of their homes and onto the street by the nation’s economic turmoil and the record foreclosure rate.

In Los Angeles, hundreds of people are living in their cars because shelters can accommodate only about a third of the city’s estimated 73,000 homeless population, the article reports.

While living in sunny California would be great and I’ll keep researching it, it’s important for anyone wanting to live there to realize the cost of living is expensive.

That’s an important factor to consider it you’re thinking about retiring where it’s warm.

For tips on how to research retiring to warmer climates, see my articles “The Dream of Retiring Where It’s Warm in the U.S.” and “The Dream of Retiring Where It’s Warm Abroad.”

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

Economic times are tough for boomer consumers.

By planning ahead and using smart shopping techniques, you can avoid debt and unneeded stress during the holidays.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission offers these tips when you’re holiday shopping at the mall, online, or by phone or mail:

Getting started

• Make a shopping list, including the people you plan to buy gifts for and the type of gifts you plan to buy.
• Create and stick to a realistic budget to avoid post-holiday debt.
• Add to your budget the cost of cash gifts, holiday travel, extra food, wrappings, decorations, greeting cards, and postage.

Shopping the holiday sale ads

• Shop around, to make sure the “sale” price is really the best.
• Read sale ads carefully and look for terms such as “quantities limited,” “no rain checks,” or “not available at all stores.”
• Call before you go shopping to make sure the item you want is in stock.
• Consider your time and travel costs by adding these costs to the price is you have to go across town for buy the item.
• Look for price-matching policies that some stores offer to meet or beat a competitor’s prices.
• Check out Web sites that compare prices.
• Keep shipping costs and delivery time in mind when you shop online.
• Consider carefully bargain offers that are based on purchases of additional merchandise, for example, “Buy Three, Get One Free” or “Free Gift with Purchase.”
• Use coupons if they’ll save you money on what you’re already planning to buy and if you’ve checked any restrictions.
• Ask about sale adjustments, for example, if you buy an item at regular price and it goes on sale the next week, can you get a credit or refund for the discounted amount.

Staying on track

• Keep track of your spending.
• Save your receipts because you’ll need them for returns and exchanges.
• Ask for gift receipts.
• Ask about refund and return policies because stores are allowed set their own policies.
• Keep good records, whether you’re ordering by mail, phone, or online.
• Ship early to avoid heftyt last-minute fees, if you’re sending gifts to out-of-towners, factor in extra time for shipping.
• Keep an eye on your wallet and purse and get your credit or debit cards back as quickly as possible during transactions.

Using layaway programs

• Use layaways if you don’t want to charge it and if you don’t have the cash to pay for the item.
• Get the store’s layaway policy in writing, including the terms of the layaway plan and the refund policy.

For more information, visit www.ftc.gov and www.MyMoney.gov.

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

Record voter turnout is expected throughout the nation as Americans face one of the most exciting elections in history.

Most people have made up their minds by now who they’ll vote for president.

However, there are many important state and local races on ballots throughout America. Among them are governors, members of Congress, attorneys general, treasurers, state legislators, judges, and local government officials. And, in many states, ballot measures are offered on state and local public policy issues.

Where can you find information about these candidates and ballot issues further down on the ballot?

The League of Women Voters of the United States offers a Web site Vote411.org. It provides general voter information such as:

• Voting in your state.

• Finding your polling place.

• What’s on your ballot.

• Stay informed.

To find out information about candidates to help choose a one to vote for, you can:

• Make a list of issues important to you. Research the voting history of each candidate. Eliminate candidates that don’t match up to the issues that are important to you.

• Ask knowledge friends, co-workers, and relatives.

• Read the candidates’ statements in your state and local voters’ guides.

• Visit candidate Web sites.

• Review newspaper endorsements. However, be careful here as in some cases newspaper endorsements reflect the interests of the business community rather than consumer interests.

• Visit the Web site of your political party.

Among the ballot measures across the nation are:

• Massachusetts – Decriminalize marijuana.

• California – Renewable energy standards, bond issue, gay marriage ban, abortion restrictions, additional penalties on crimes, and animal welfare.

• Washington state – Death with dignity, traffic, and health care worker requirements.

• Missouri – Home health care.

• Ohio – Paid sick leave.

• Montana – Children’s health care.

• Michigan – Universal health care and stem cell research.

• Arizona – Payday lending.

• North Dakota – Term limits repeal.

There are 153 ballot measures on the Nov. 4 ballot throughout the U.S., according to Ballotpedia.org.

To help you determine how to vote on a ballot measure, you can:

• Ask knowledge friends, co-workers, and relatives.

• Read the pro and con statements in your state and local voters’ guides.

• Visit the Web sites for the ballot measures.

• Review newspaper endorsements. However, as with candidates, be careful as some newspaper endorsements reflect the interests of the business community rather than consumer interests.

• Visit the Web site of interest groups who may have a position on the issue.

Good luck if you’re just beginning your research. Don’t be intimidated if your ballot is long. With the Internet, it easier than it’s ever been to gather information on candidates and issues.

Remember, it’s best to make the decisions in advance and not in the voting booth. Take a sample ballot with you so you can fill out your ballot quickly.

Enjoy voting and be sure to celebrate your investment in democracy and the public process when you’re finished.

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide
Guest Blogger
One way baby boomers can make progress in getting what they want in life is to hire a life coach.
Life coaches, who often work with clients over the phone, help people set goals and move toward achieving them. They can help boomers who are dealing with:

• Helping aging parents.

• Increasing stress at home and on the job.

• Raising children.

• Figuring out what they want to do in retirement.

I worked with a life coach several years ago and had positive results. I wanted to do more consumer writing. Now here I am today with two boomer consumer blogs and the opportunity to blog once a week for Boomer411.
If you decide to work with a life coach, be sure you undertake a thorough selection process. Life coaches aren’t regulated in most states so anyone can say they’re a life coach.
Here’s a check list for choosing a life coach:

• Interview at least three life coaches.

• Find out how much a session costs, how long the sessions will be, and how many times a month they’re offered.

• Ask if you’ll be required to make a commitment for a certain number of appointments.

• Ask about the life coach’s credentials, for example whether he or she is certified by the International Coach Federation. (You can go to the federation’s Web site and search for the names of life coaches in your area.)

• Ask about the coach’s educational background, professional background, and years of experience.

• Find out if the coach will offer a complimentary session so you can ask questions and see if you would like working with the coach.

• Choose a life coach you feel comfortable with.

Life coaches charge from $25 to $300 per session, with the average being around $125.

For more information on life coaching, see the article “Life Coaches Are Helping Baby Boomers Create Better Lives” on my Seattle Post-Intelligencer reader blog the Boomer Consumer.