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

Times are tough for many baby boomer consumers. Layoffs are high among older workers, and it takes them longer to find a job. In addition, due to revenue problems, many state governments are cutting programs that provide assistance to those in need.

On President’s Day, I had the opportunity to attend a rally at the State Capitol in Olympia, Wash., at which a coalition called Rebuilding Our Economic Future asked state lawmakers to increase state revenues. They want lawmakers to raise taxes and close loopholes, so that some of the $2.6 billion in cuts to essential services such as public education and health care can be restored. About 6,000 people attended.

Made up of education, health care, labor, environmental, and good government groups, coalition members carried signs that said “Kids not cuts,” “Protect our future,” “Fund core services,” “Love the earth,” “Health care for all,” “Save Our Safety Net,” “Yes on revenue,” “Stop health care cuts,” and “Fund financial aid.”

A dozen or so members of the Tea Party movement watched the rally from the steps of the Temple of Justice across from the Capitol Building. Their group, smaller in numbers, called for cuts in taxes at another rally earlier in the day.

What happening at the Legislature in your state?

The 10 states with the worst budget problems are Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Connecticut, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, New York, Alaska, and New Jersey, according to ABC News/Money’s “Budget Nightmare: 10 Most Broke States.”

See “State Budget Shortfalls May Reach $180 Billion This Year” for details on what’s happening in states across the nation in these tough economic times.

Let your lawmakers know your needs during these challenging economic times.

To find out how to contact the Legislature in your state, use this list from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

To contact your governor, see this list of governors from the National Governors Association.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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

Piles of snow. Torrents of rain. Freezing cold winter. Wind. Mudslides. Freezing rain. Sleet. Power outages.

When I wrote on Dec. 10 about preparing for winter , I thought it was a bit late in the season. But with severe winter storms unleashing their fury throughout the nation in January and February, my article was timely.

How are you doing in the winter weather? If you were caught in a snowstorm, did you have an emergency kit in your car? If the power went out, did you have enough supplies to keep you going for several days?

If you’re not prepared for an emergency, see the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Are You Ready? Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit” for information on organizing supplies for your home and car and at work.

Kiplinger’s “Your Essential Emergency Kit” offers these nine steps to protect you and your loved ones against natural and personal disaster:

1. Build your emergency fund.

2. Cover your assets.

3. Protect your livelihood.

4. Make your wishes known.

5. Safeguard important documents.

6. Have a grab-and-go survival kit.

7. Keep your car tuned – and gassed – up.

8. Stock up.

9. Get your family organized.

See the article for details.

Let me know how you’re doing in the winter storms. Leave a comment in the Comment section below.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By Rita R. Robison, blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Lately, I’ve been thinking and writing about the most important events and books of the year and the decade.

What have been the most crucial happenings for you last year and since 2000?

I choose health care reform, the recall of millions of consumer products, and the recall of contaminated food as the top consumer stories of 2009. My other choices are offered in “Top 10 Consumer Stories for 2009.”

I picked the economic meltdown, the sluggish economy and job recovery, and retirement delayed as the top three stories for boomers in 2009. See “Top 10 Stories of 2009 for Baby Boomers” for my other choices.

I selected “2009 Action Plan: Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound,” “The Healing of America: The Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care,” and “Other People’s Money: The Corporate Mugging of America” for the best consumer books of 2009. See the article the “Top 10 Consumer Books of 2009” for my other choices.

My top three choices for the best consumer books of the decade are “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal,” “Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth,” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” See the article “Top 10 Consumer Books of the Decade” for my other picks.

For the most important stories for boomers during the decade, I chose 9/11, the War in Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq. See the article “Top 10 Stories of the Decade for Baby Boomers” for my other top stories since 2000.

The top posts on my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide for 2009 were: “How Often Should You Change Your Bed Sheets,” “How to Buy Eye Glasses,” and “How to Buy a Dishwasher.” See the article “Top 10 Stories on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide in 2009” for information on the other top stories on the blog.

The top posts on my blog the Boomer Consumer on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Web site were: “Don’t Put Condoms in Your Wallet,” “What’s in the Senate Health Care Bill?” and “How to Protect Yourself as a Boomer Consumer When You’re in the Hospital.” See the article “Top 10 Stories on the Boomer Consumer” for the other most-read posts.

Leave a comment below and let me know your opinions on the top events and books of 2009 and the decade for boomer consumers.

Popularity: 3% [?]

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

I just finished writing my annual post on the “Top 10 Consumer Stories of 2009.”

As a consumer writer, it’s so frustrating that the media, government, and even consumer organizations don’t write about this. I found many articles such as the top business stories, technology stories, entertainment stories, movies, headlines, most read stories, economic stories, science stories, health stories, and auto stories.

However, few organizations see consumers and their needs as important, except as they’re spenders in the economy to make money for businesses and corporations.

Consumers need to strengthen their role in the economy and in their communities.

Here are my suggestions for action steps for boomer consumers for 2010:

1. Join two consumer groups. Two suggestions – the Public Interest Group in your state and Public Citizen.

2. Sign up to receive e-mail recall information or an RSS feed from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

3. File consumer complaints with the Attorney General’s Office in your state or the appropriate state agency if you can’t get your complaints resolved with the business or service provider you worked with. See the Web site of the National Association of Attorneys General for information on how to contact the attorney general in your state.

4. Find three Web sites or blogs that offer consumer information and read them regularly. Three suggestions: The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, The Consumerist, and ConsumerAffairs.com.

5. Make a savings plan and pay off your credit cards.

6. Contact your legislators and members of Congress about consumer issues, such as health care and finance reform.

7. Plan for retirement. See “Getting the Retirement You Want in Tough Economic Times” for information on retirement planning.

8. Do research before you make a major purchase or sign up for a costly service such as the installation of a new roof or home remodeling. Buy the magazine or online subscription for Consumer Reports for product information and Consumers’ Checkbook magazine for services if you live in the Puget Sound, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Twin Cities, San Francisco Bay, or Delaware Valley areas.

9. Figure out how to find out about prescription drugs so you know how to be informed when health problems come and you’re faced with choices about the drugs. Two sources of information are The People’s Pharmacy and Public Citizen.

10. Find a local or state group working to improve the environment and join their efforts.

Popularity: 3% [?]

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

Are you baby boomers traveling with your adult children this holiday season?

If so, what did you decide about who’s invited and who pays what bills?

One family I know debated about whether to invite the unmarried boyfriends and girlfriends of their kids.

In “Negotiating Vacations With Adult Children” on Uptake Vacations Blog, Laura Charon writes that she and her husband decided to pay the airfare for their two adult children for a vacation to Hawaii, but not the airfares for their significant others.

The parents would pay for the condo and groceries for the meals cooked there, one fancy dinner, one rental car, and one activity they could do as a family. The kids would pay for activities, a second rental car, if needed, shopping, eating out, and other expenses that came up.

What are your travel plans this holiday season? Did you invite your kids to vacation with you and work out the financial arrangement successfully?

Have you tried vacationing with your adult children in the past? Did it work out well? Or, was it a disaster, with fights about money?

Leave me a comment below and let me know your experiences.

Popularity: 6% [?]