Featuring The Only B2B -Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace! Escape Celebrating10Years2012-2022 Vol.10 No.2
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Today’s BoomeR 3 Founders: John Vardalas & Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief: Alexandra V. Maragha Contributors: Chef Eben Atwater, Jodi Geline For Letters to the Editor, articles, and feedback as well as advertising inquiries visit us at www.TodaysBoomerMagazine.com Today’s BoomeR Magazine is an online publication of The American BoomeR Group For more information about Today’s BoomeR www.TodaysBoomerMagazine.comvisitFindusonTwitter@todaysboomerFormoreinformationaboutTheAmericanBoomeRGroupvisitwww.TheAmericanBoomer.comFollowonFacebook The American Boomer Today’s BoomeR Magazine Vol.10 No.2 Today’s Boomer is published quarterly (Jan/Feb/March, April/May/June, July/Aug./Sept., Oct./Nov./Dec.) Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Visit www.TodaysBoomerMagazine.com ThisIssue Fall 2022 (Volume 10, No. 2) Editor’s Letter 4 Escape Social Security 6 How Many Hours Can You Work and Collect? Science of Slowing Aging: 7 Give Life to Your Cells and Self F (Forget) Being Old 9 Leadership Rx: Don’t Be a “Boss Hole”! Boomer Travel 11 Escape: Hot Travel for December The US is in a Retirement 16 Crisis: It’s Getting Worse Old Enough For Sex 19 6 Biggest Mistakes Couples Over 50 Make BoomeR ConsumeR Watch: 21 9 Bills You Should Never Put on AutoPay 10 Ways Your Waste Money 24 Every Day and Don’t Realize It Boomer Healthy Eating 26 Fall in Love with Fresh Hummus & Tahini 2012 YearsCelebrating202210of Today’s BoomerThankMagazine!you!
4 Today’s BoomeR (feap. 4 p. 12 EDITOR’S LETTER
he pandemic and reemergence from all the shutdowns, lockdowns, and masking ups have now established a turning point in American society as these phases have (hopefully forever) passed. But life is not back to business and all is usual. The corruption and broken systems in this country on all levels and within all sectors were exposed leaving the American public to be more aware, more stressed, and more divided in terms of those who care and don’t, and those who feel more optimistic or not.
If you are yearning to get back to business as usual, perhaps it is a just question to ask what is “usual”? Now more than ever we are able o determine our own “usual”. The workforce must comply with employee demands as a taste of freedom of working from home for so long brought a sense of independence and revamp of what it means to “go to the office” as in many cases “the office” has now been redefined and management needing to escape the old ways of leadership. This push and pull are now seen as the stress that many are facing as the inflation crisis pushes more people to escape from what is extra and stick with what is necessary, while others are escaping the burdens and stresses of reality to dive into what is new and different no matter the Despitecost.
the reason or the place, the idea of escape is that which is self defined, self perpetuated, and self satisfying, leaving one to use it in a way to better connect with one’s self to better connect with the world around them.
Alexandra V. Maragha Editor In Chief
Find your escape and use it to come back or find a new way in life. Life is short so choose what life you want to live.
T
Escape
The overall feeling is to escape all that is bad and focus on all that is good and bring about goodness by escaping what is bad.
TheAmericanBoomer.com thanks you for your continual support and for making your voice heard in Saving Our Social Security!
With proposed changes in the federal budget and inflation in the U.S. economy, the work to maintain and preserve the Social Security Trust Fund is far from over.
Save Social Security:
For More Information visit www.TheAmericanBoomeR.com
You can continue to work as long as you want, and you can still collect Social Security benefits. However, you should be aware that continuing to work after claiming Social Security benefits could reduce the amount that you receive, particularly if you have not yet reached full retirement age. Here is what you should know about how many hours you can work and still collect Social Security.
Working Before Full Retirement Age
As to how many hours you can work and still collect Social Security, this will obviously depend on your hourly wage. For example, if you earn $20 per hour, you can work 978 hours per year before your Social Security benefits are reduced, assuming you haven’t yet reached full retirement age. At 40 hours per work week, that means you can work just over 24 weeks before hitting the earnings limit. If your salary is higher, that number obviously will be adjusted downward.
You’ll Always Be Made Whole
From the perspective of the Social Security Administration, full retirement age for those born in 1960 or later is 67. If you continue to draw income before you reach full retirement age, the SSA considers you a worker rather than a retiree. As such, some of your benefits may be held back.
Specifically, for every $2 you earn above a certain limit, the SSA will withhold $1 of your earnings. For 2022, the earnings limit is $19,560. Thus, if you are under full retirement age and you earn $39,560 in 2022, your Social Security benefits will be reduced by $10,000.
Things change the year you reach full retirement age. At this point, the amount you can earn before any benefits get withheld is $51,960, as of 2022. Further, benefits are reduced by just $1 for every $3 you earn above the earnings limit. For example, if you’re earning $50,000 the year you reach full
Working After Full Retirement Age
retirement age, you won’t see any reduction in your benefits at all. But if you earn $60,960, your annual benefit will be reduced by $3,000. Note that this reduction ends in the month that you reach full retirement age.
Losing Social Security benefits because you might have to work can be a tough choice to make. But the good news is that ultimately it’s not an either or proposition. If you lose Social Security benefits because you are working, they are never actually “lost.” Rather, they are simply suspended. The SSA will always make you whole for any suspended benefits. Once you reach full retirement age, the Social Security Administration will recalculate your monthly payout and increase your payments to make up for your deferred benefits.
For some people, working after full retirement age is not the definition of “retirement.” But for others, working after age 67 can be a joy or a requirement. Regardless of the reasons you might have, the good news is that once you reach full retirement age, you’ll no longer suffer any penalties for working. You’ll be entitled to your full monthly Social Security benefit regardless of how many hours you work. Even if you decide to work full time or run a business, you’ll get to keep your earnings and all of your Social Security payments.
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What Is Considered Income?
Social Security: How Many Hours Can You Work and Still CollectSocial Security?
As the name would imply, Social Security retirement benefits were meant to be paid out to beneficiaries after they stop working.
Working the Year You Reach Full Retirement Age
By John Csiszar, GoBankingRates
There is one final way you can still “work” and collect all of your Social Security at the time you expect it, rather than as deferred payments. Essentially, if all of your income is passive, you can earn as much as you’d like and it won’t have any ramifications on your Social Security earnings. Specifically, the SSA counts only wages or salary from a job, or the net profit from self employment, as earnings. Investment income, pensions, veterans benefits, annuities, interest and government or military benefits are not counted.
cells are starving for nutrients. All of these foods cause
Thewww.peaceofmyheart.netdefinitionofagingismore
VS
Hi, I’m Jodi and I’ve studied health and self development since age 22 and recovered from a 19 year struggle with severe stomach bloat/digestive issues. I went from looking nine months pregnant to a flat stomach. It was all gas. You can read more of my story on my website.
What it takes to be healthy and slow down aging goes beyond what you may think and what you're taught. Typically you are told to eat healthy and exercise. That’s great advice, but there’s so much more that you haven’t been told.
cells dying off than being replaced. So the key to slowing down aging is to replace those cells with strong healthy cells. You do that by feeding your body the nutrients it needs. Your body is one amazing technological machine! It knows exactly what to do, as long as it’s getting the right nutrients it needs.
Busting Food Myths to Give Life to Your Cells and Self!
By Jodi Geline, PeaceofMyHeart.net
Today s BoomeR 7
The Science of Slowing Aging: Choosing Live Food
I know you want to have a strong, healthy, vibrant body. So here are three key strategies to get these nutrients your body needs to slow aging and be healthy:
In summary, live food with life force has natural sugar in it for energy. So eat non GMO foods; shop the outside aisles of the grocery store, where the nutrition is and the food with “life force” energy. Then watch your energy go up and your aging go down! You have way more control over your health and aging than you realize! I know first hand. If you want to learn more, email me at jodi@peaceofmyheart.net or visit my website at www.peaceofmyheart.net
Processed food is in the inside aisles at the store.
You are virtually programmed to eat from TV and other advertisements. And that's coming from companies that benefit from you buying their food.
2. Shop the Outside Aisles at the Grocery Store
3. Choose Foods with a “Life Force”
It's food that is alive; it has life force energy and enzymes. It’s food that’s grown in the ground and not processed. Processed food usually comes in a box or a bag. It becomes dead food and when you eat that, it’s not doing anything for your body. It’s just empty calories. And then your body craves more because it isn’t getting the nutrients it needs. It causes you to eat even more food, which causes weight gain and fatigue. Because when you digest food, all your energy goes to digestion. That makes you feel tired when the digestion has to work hard. Live foods with life force give you energy and aliveness because that’s what you’re eating. You feel happy, productive, and at inner peace because your body feels so good!
How is all that processed food going to provide your cells with nutrients to have a strong body and slow aging? It can’t. There’s nothing in it to provide that. Yet they are allowed to advertise that it’s “healthy.” Even the blueberries in many kinds of cereal and processed foods are blue food dye, not blueberries. Processed white sugar, which is added to 80% of the foods in the grocery store, will cause a lot of issues with your blood sugar, premature aging, and fatigue. It makes you crave more of that type of food.
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These foods are genetically modified/altered, so your body will not recognize them. Therefore, they aren’t doing anything to nourish your cells. Quite the opposite, it’s modifying your cells. Here's how you can tell the difference between organic, GMO, and conventional (sprayed with pesticides) foods. The sticker they put on the food has a product number on it. Anything that starts with the number “4” is genetically modified food (GMO). If it starts with an “8”, then it’s conventional. Anything that starts with a “9” is organic. So you've probably been eating food sprayed with pesticides and haven't thought about its effect on you. It is very difficult to avoid in today’s world because we don’t have access to all organic like our parents did. You have to be very intentional when you shop. And you may even think, well everyone else eats it, what's the difference? Let me ask you this question. Would you take an apple and spray it with Raid and then eat it? My guess is no.
Let’s look at so called “breakfast” foods as an example of processed food. Advertisers make you think cereal is a breakfast food, so people eat cereal for breakfast. Eating cereal is no different than eating a cookie for breakfast. Think about it. Cereal has 10 grams of sugar, basically the same as a cookie. It’s processed in a factory. Processed sugar is a very addictive drug.
1. Avoid GMOs at All Costs
This is where the fresh food is. Fresh food is food that will rot fairly quickly. It’s food in its natural form, without all the added chemicals to make it last longer on the shelf.
Employees also discovered from the pandemic:
As a consultant in the business world, the global covid 19 pandemic has caused major upheavals in American companies, economic, health and political sectors, but most importantly the workforce. Resent data suggests the pandemic era labor trend AKA the Great Resignation is continuing. Business surveys indicate 50% of employees are looking for a new job or plan to soon. Leadership must realize that half of your employees are in the job seeking category. Employees are prepared and open to go somewhere else at any time.
has emerged to describe the workforce:
“Presenteeism” where employees are partially at work physically, but not mentally as they have checked out already deciding to leave at the first opportunity that comes, especially due to jaded Organizationleadership.
leadership must realize how the pandemic has affected employees and truly recognize how our workforce has stepped up, adjusted, and kept serving customers in their communities.
• Many were not being valued at work
Stress in the workplace is the second largest occupational disease following Musculo skeletal disorders and accounts for 90 million lost workdays annually. Mental and nervous disorders have been among the fastest growing factors of workplace disabilities. Workplace stress is often caused by weak
Today’s BoomeR 9
John A. Vardalas, CAE/CUDE Founder/CEO The American BoomeR Group
Job openings and quits have swelled to record highs and layoff rates have fallen to record lows. Almost 4.3 million workers quit their jobs in January 2022. Data suggests most employees are not quitting to sit on the sidelines a strong job market and higher pay are luring them to look elsewhere. Some are reinventing their careers altogether. Many are seeking the freedom of remote work and schedule flexibility and to gain a better work life balance, as the pandemic brought a realization of priorities among many asking the question, “is this worth it?”
• They liked working from home
apathetic management, the impact of the pandemic of ongoing protocol changes and expectations, mergers, reorganizations, and workplace uncertainty.Anewterm
(Forget) Being Old: LeadershipRxforSlowingtheGreatResignation: DontBeaBoss Hole”!
• Helped educate and spend time with their children in their homes
• Be committed to their training and continuing education.
• Being too directive/controlling/demeaning.
Likewise, the current economy and inflation have left employees seeking employment to balance their income and higher expenses. Those in current positions who already feel the normal stress of an organization’s work culture due to a lack of strong leadership, empathy, and execution, now are considering pay and financial incentives as the top factor of a job and to stay at a job.
• Experienced loss and grief
• Give them earned positive feedback/recognition.
• Pay them. Review marketplace employee salary/ benefit plans for all staff levels to ensure they meet current peer standards.
• Love them. Treat all employees with dignity/ respect. Give them a sense of pride/ownership that all are contributing to the business success.
“Greatness not just goodness” is needed more than ever in new age leadership in keeping and attracting talent and on how our workplace success will be measured in the future. I hope the quality of your leadership practices inspire greatness in your people going forward.
John A. Vardalas, CAE/CUDE CEO/Founder of The American BoomeR Group, is a professional speaker/ business consultant. He can be reached at jvardallas@aol.com and TheAmericanBoomer.comvisiting
• No appreciation of loyalty.
• Not clarifying expectations/how to achieve Nowresults/rewards.isthemomentto turn the great resignation into a great opportunity for our businesses and focus on building joy in the workplace.
I offer the following Leadership Practices for companies to really show employees they are valued and keep the workplace a source of purpose and inspiration:
• Playing favorites and not focused on seniority.
• Failure to develop/mentor employees.
• Missed being with their extended families
• Thought about their futures and what really matters to them moving forward
Take time to survey staff to reflect on your culture and self assess your leadership and management style. You may be considered a “Boss Hole” if you are exhibiting these behaviors:
• Over focusing on problems.
• Be flexible when it comes to work arrangements and schedules.
• Recaptured the time and money they would have spent commuting
• Learned new skills via online classes
Staff are always reassessing leadership & management practices and the culture of their organization. Business leaders must seize this moment and assess the opportunity to create the best workplace brand and employer of choice in the community. Will you be paying a living wage with great benefits? Is your staff diverse and inclusive to meet your customers/member needs? Are they a mix of suits and jeans? Will your workplace culture reflect a quality of work life atmosphere?
• Your actions do not reflect your words.
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• Go on a listening tour of your staff and discuss challenges, work satisfaction and aspirations.
• Empower and trumpet their accomplishments.
Today’s BoomeR 11 Escape Where is hot in December? Our top 12 destinationsTRAVELBOOMER Conde Nast Traveller, www.cntraveller.com
Where to stay: Forget the glitz and glam, this cool new un Dubai hotel is 25hours Hotel One Central, a hub for creatives, digital nomads, and those in the know. If you're here to venture to the pool and nothing more, Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort is a great option, especially for
Where to stay: La Cabaña, a slick and earthy villa with a quote mark shaped swimming pool and views down to Puerto Calero. For more, check out our list of the best villas in Lanzarote.
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
It’s one of South east Asia’s winter sun kingpins for good reason tropical Bali’s lush rainforest and white sand beaches tick all the boxes when it comes to a warm weather escape. Once scrappy beach town Canggu draws Indonesia's thriving digital nomad crowd, along with blissed out surfers, while artists’ village Ubud is a hub for those seeking a more spiritual getaway.
Dubai
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 26°C
Where to stay: Teetering on a high clifftop overlooking the Indian Ocean on Bali’s southern coast, Six Senses Uluwatu is a wellness retreat that gets it just right. In Canggu, we like The Slow, a 12 room bolthole with an achingly cool cocktail of art, music and interior design. Riverside jungle hideout Capella Ubud feels like an African tented camp from the 19th century and makes an ideal
The seven hour flight from London to Dubai can just about be classed as medium haul, while the time difference between the two is a jet lag free four hours but this desert city in the Middle East feels worlds away from chilly England in December. Sure, there’s the glitzy side of Dubai its mega malls and skyscraping hotels are decked out in festive lights and ginormous trees for the season but there’s a more laidback side to the city, too. Life’n One is a hidden yoga retreat for those hoping to end the year on a healthy note, while cultural hub Alserkal Avenue is a great place to escape the heat in arthouse cinemas and indie galleries.
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 21°C
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 27°C
As the cold takes firm hold of Europe, sun seeking generally requires a longer flight. True, there are spots closer to home with the good grace to linger around 20°C, but winter provides an excellent excuse for a far flung getaway, when a powerful and prolonged dose of vitamin D is practically prescribed. Hot cities in Africa and Australia will come alive this month, as their summers finally arrive, while tropical islands and unsung corners of the world will hit their peak. See below for our edit of where is hot in December. For more travel inspiration, see our guide to the best winter sun destinations.
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Bali, Indonesia
families. For a stay that’s unlike anything else in Dubai, book a room at the secluded five room hotel and spa Al Faya Lodge an hour east of the city. See our edit of the best hotels in Dubai for more.
We called it ‘the surprisingly cool Canary island’, but we weren’t talking about the weather. The fact that Lanzarote resides off Africa’s west coast means that even in December it’s still fairly sane to take a dip. Avoid the package hordes and head to fine, white sand Papagayo Beach on the southern tip of the island, or try world class surfing in north west Famara. In fact, more surprises lie in store the further you stray from the tourist hotels. There’s the Jardín de Cactus in Guatiza, a surreal succulent amphitheatre; or starkly alluring Timanfaya National Park, a volcanic wilderness that starred in 1966 film One Million Years BC. And don’t forget Finca Malvasia, a seductive ranch like retreat in the central wine region, owned by a pair of designers who swapped London for island life. After wintering in Lanzarote, you might just join them.
We've rounded up the top 12 places to get some all important winter sun just in time for Christmas
Cape Town is always a good idea, but particularly in
Where to stay: As we mentioned above there are no shortage of hotels in Marrakech. For a traditional riad stay, Riad Goloboy is a feast for the eyes (and Instagram) with kaleidoscopic walls and a gallery worthy art collection.
When winter is in full flow, don’t underestimate the power of a three and a half hour flight to another world. Yes, Marrakech is hectic, but a recent influx of design hotels most of them reimagining glorious, red brick riads means there’s always somewhere more sedate to escape to. Alternatively, take up residence in a palace: La Mamounia, a grande dame of landscaped gardens, fountains, opulent tiles and velvets, is a card carrying member of our best hotels in the world Gold List. Or book a stay at Royal Mansour, the city's most lavish hotel, which proves you needn’t plunge into the medina madness outside to get the best of Marrakech.
Where to stay: Miami Beach Edition sits inside the skeleton of the Seville, one of the giant 1950s hotels, with nods to the past, a connection to the city's heritage and a bar with uninterrupted ocean views.
It’s peak season in the Bahamas, and while that will certainly keep the beaches busy, it also means perfect weather. Our tip: strike out for Harbour Island, a three mile long, mile and a half wide sliver of sensational, pink sand stretches, where there are always enough sunbeds to go around. Make camp at its smartest hotel, Bahama House, a chic cottage with retro Palm Beach vibes, a sunken tiki bar and just 11 rooms. It’s part of Eleven Experience, an experiential travel specialist, you can also take advantage of custom adventures such as diving in secret grottoes or swimming with swines on Pig Beach.
Cape Town, South Africa
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Where to stay: Pelican Bay Hotel. Inside, waterside rooms combine Caribbean cheerfulness with classic European style. Outside, white sand beaches, lush boulevards and beautiful seascapes.
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 26°C
sun spots we’re looking at you, California pull on a sweater. For a calmer vibe, try the less developed northern end of Miami Beach. It’s here that chef Thomas Keller serves elegant classics (oysters, steak tartare, lobster thermidor) at the landmark The Surf Club, among potted palms and white coated waiters who evoke the spot’s history as the go to of the 1950s jet set. Better yet, the recently extended, hacienda style Four Seasons is here (Elizabeth Taylor and Wallis Simpson count among former guests). Refined might not be the word typically associated with Miami, but let this breath of fresh air change your mind.
Miami, USA
The city’s year round warm weather comes into its own in December, when the beach parties continue while other
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 20°C
base that avoids any desert island clichés. If you're travelling in a group, Bali has some incredible villas and Airbnbs, like Laputa Villa which sleeps four and is widely known as "The Bamboo Castle in the Sky." For more, see our pick of the best Bali hotels. Marrakech, Morocco
Bahamas, Caribbean
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 27°C
Where to stay: Hilton Auckland is über trendy retro futurism in a gleaming wharf shed redeveloped to resemble a cruise liner.
Merida, Yucatan Peninsula
Just like that low and slow New Zealand drawl, Auckland is
Where to stay: The Silo, which is ingeniously set inside a former grain elevator house at the top of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. Also on our Gold List, Ellerman House is an imposing Edwardian mansion with smashing views of the Atlantic and one of the country’s finest private art collections.
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AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 31°C
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 22°C
December, when the fledgling South African summer sets beaches and vineyards aglow. The mere sight of beautiful crowds bronzing against its theatrical, cragged mountain backdrop will banish the winter blues in one blow. And just when you thought the Mother City’s raw good looks, smart art and design scenes and world class food couldn’t get more appealing, it only goes and adds a pair of super hot hotels, too.
a big, beautiful city that’s seldom in a hurry. Perhaps that’s what happens when there’s nature everywhere rainforest covered hills here; the glittering Hauraki Gulf there. And the notion that the affable country is somehow behind the times is rebuffed by the likes of the Britomart complex, a series of waterfront heritage buildings turned boutiques and restaurants, and Iko Iko, a fabulous concept store with fans such as Emilia Wickstead. Add in a ferry trip to nearby Waiheke Island’s sandy beaches and vineyard wine tastings and be totally converted to the Kiwi lifestyle.
Tulum, Cancún and Playa del Carmen are the seaside giants of the Yucatán in south east Mexico, but head instead for the state capital of Mérida for the best of everything: Mayan ruins, a charming colonial town, dense jungle and if you don’t mind a short drive beaches, too. Best of all, there’s Chablé just outside the city, an astonishingly lush estate with a spa and private cenote, a
Auckland, New Zealand
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Cuba
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 27°C
Where to stay: Lindenderry at Red Hill, a silver birch lined drive leading to a white rural hideout, with comforting, pared back style and a restaurant that uses the with best local produce.
Where to stay: Hacienda Xcanatun for marble mosaic and coral stone floors on the verandahs, exteriors are daubed in terracotta and cream, and rough hewn rustic tables and hammocks hung between trees that give this 18th century Italianate estate a lived in feel.
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 24°C
restaurant led by renowned chef Jorge Vallejo, a tequila ‘library’, a sweat lodge and a local shaman. Plus it has 40 splashy, limestone and glass casitas, each one with its own terrace and pool.
Melbourne, Australia
Koh Samui, Thailand
AVERAGE DECEMBER TEMP: 27°C
Where to stay: Casa de Miriam y Sinai is a fantastic first floor flat that is an oasis of calm and space, with three spacious rooms, one with a street side balcony, are spotless and have top drawer bathrooms.
Where to stay: Set high on a hill, Panacea has a mix of four , five or six bedroom villas filled with tropical hardwoods, silk fabrics and petrified wood that’s over a million years old, plus there's a kids’ room, a private cinema, gambling den and nightclub. At COMO Point Yamu a 100 metre long white tiled swimming pool shoots out towards the Andaman Sea. Tip top service, zingy cuisine and a wondrous spa has made this Thai hotel a favourite with LGBTQ+ Thais and travellers.
Melbourne’s erratic climate ensures it’ll never hold the beachy appeal of Sydney. But December’s summer temperatures are ideal for exploring the city’s beloved laneways: narrow passages packed with street art, galleries, restaurants and bars. It’s here that trends are set rather than followed; where a cup of coffee has both a caffeine kick and global acclaim. And in Australia’s always dynamic second city, there’s never a shortage of new and miraculous places to explore. Currently it’s Di Stasio Città, Spring Street’s Brutalist Italian restaurant, where guests eat fabulous crab capellini in a concrete bunker like setting as video installations play across the walls.
Long the Shangri La of feverish backpacker dreams, Koh Samui has grown up. Yes, its raison d’être remains pure pleasure in the shade of three million coconut palms, and on its bone white beaches but the packaging is more Four Seasons, less ratty bungalow. Wellness has well and truly arrived here, with yoga studios, health retreats and even monk led mentoring for those looking to make a real change. If, however, you just want a proper, idyllic tropical break, Panacea takes the cake. The former home of one of the world’s top hedge fund managers, this sprawling hilltop estate features five enormous residences, 82ft swimming pools, a cinema, a nightclub and even a Muay Thai boxing ring (tattooed instructor included).
Cuchillas del Toa mountain range, is a world unto itself: streets infused with music, sleepy beaches and rivers and canyons where yes, even here you’ll stumble upon the odd thatched bar. At the very south of the island, Santiago de Cuba, with its palatial Spanish buildings by the sea, is set to be the next It destination, but for now remains thrillingly tourist free.
No doubt, Havana is spectacular. But leaving Cuba’s main drawcard to explore its steamy eastern mountains will bring you closer to a country that, in its isolation from modernity, has much to teach. In Baracoa, the mystical hangs like a heavy mist. The city, surrounded by the
— that's the concern,” said Richard Johnson, a retirement expert at the Urban Institute. “For people who are not in that age group, it's still concerning because it could strain the social safety net.”
portion of arepopulationthewhoinretirement
In 2019, Boston College estimated there was a $7.1 trillion retirement savings shortfall among American households, with half of them facing a lower standard of living once they stop working. That number likely hasn’t changed much since then, despite the increase in stock and housing prices over the last three years, according to Munnell.
Top Retirement Worries
And that’s just for the people who have retirement accounts. About half of private sector workers don’t have an employer sponsored retirement plan, and many of those who do end up saving very little. It’s a problem that isn’t easily fixed, and contributes to the sense that the American Dream is in decline. And while surging inflation and volatile markets are bad news for people in or nearing retirement, the picture may be even worse for young Americans who are priced out of the housing market, struggling to build wealth and buried under mountains of student loan debt.
Americans have been warned for years of an impending retirement crisis. Yet the situation is getting worse.
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America’s $7 Trillion Retirement Crisis Is Only Getting Worse
By Suzanne Woolley, Bloomberg
“The people who profited from that were people who weren’t at risk in the first place,” she said.
“Living standards are going to decline for a large
Even when everything was going right inflation was nonexistent, interest rates were low and stocks were in an extended bull market there was a multi trillion dollar savings shortfall. Then came a pandemic, war in Europe, decades high inflation, the fastest rate hiking cycle since the early 1980s and fears of a recession. The resulting market turmoil erased some $3.4 trillion from 401(k) s and IRAs in the first half of 2022, according to Alicia Munnell, director of Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research.
Millions of Americans face the reality of spending their senior years in straitened circumstances, struggling to make ends meet. So how did one of the
Economic turmoil took a toll on savings in the first half of 2022 and that’s just the tip of the iceberg as many in the US lack employersponsored plans.
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Until the Great Depression, Americans worked until they died or simply couldn’t anymore, at which point they’d be dependent on charity or extended family for support. The misery of the 1930s prompted the introduction of Social Security to, as President Franklin Roosevelt said, protect “against the hazards and vicissitudes of life.”
wealthiest countries in the world end up in this situation?
“The plans work quite well for the top third of workers, not so much for the middle third and not at all for the lower third, for companies with 401(k) plans, the middle third go in and out of employment with coverage and end up with much smaller balances, and the bottom third are generally not covered by any plan and are entirely dependent on Social Security.
Things are likely to get worse as the Baby Boom generation retires. The number of Americans age 65 and over is set to increase to 73 million by 2030, or about 21% of the population, compared with 49 million or 15% in 2016, according to the Census Bureau.
Even if Congress can make piecemeal reform, there’s an even bigger concern: Whether Social Security can
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Aging Population
The program was intended to provide a minimum level of support, with individuals and employers expected to supplement it as life expectancies rose and people spent more years in retirement. But the generous defined benefit pension plans of old largely disappeared as companies cut costs and embraced 401 (k)s.
There’s little appetite politically to attack the problem. The idea of a national auto IRA that workers could take from employer to employer has been bandied about for more than 15 years, but the only real action has been at the state level. Even there, most state plans exclude the large and growing number of workers in the gig economy.
3. They hide medical issues.
Kids are important, but so is your partner. "I have seen many individuals become absorbed in their children and grandchildren's lives causing them to minimize the importance of their own relationship," says Cynthia McKay,
JD, MA, LAC, clinical psychotherapist and relationship therapist. "This practice may negate the possibility of a rewarding lifestyle or retirement." Instead, prioritize your bond. McKay encourages travel, learning together, and staying curious about each other's lives.
OldEnoughforSex: The6BiggestMistakesCouplesOver50Make, AccordingtoExperts
Honesty is key in any relationship. But Sam Nabil, CEO and lead therapist at Naya Clinics, notices that some
A lot of things change after the age of 50: our bodies, our friendships, and our finances, to name a few. Another area to watch is your relationship. Whether you're married or in a long term partnership, you may see shifts in your union in your sixth decade. Developments in your sex drive, personality, childcare situation, and housing come into play and, if you're not careful, they could cause countless miscommunications and other issues between you and your partner. Fortunately, you can avoid these fissures. Ahead, therapists tell us the biggest relationship mistakes couples over 50 make and how to ensure you see them coming.
By Juliana LaBianca, Best Life
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1. They become too absorbed in their children.
2. They assume their sex life will decline.
It's not all downhill from here. Quite the contrary, actually. "Couples over the age of 50 might believe that they are too old to enjoy sex… which is not true," says Katie Ziskind, LMFT, owner of Wisdom Within Counseling. For couples over 50, "intimacy and marriage therapy can help you figure out what is going on and support an empowered sexual experience," she suggests. That way, you can rediscover each other's likes and dislikes and create new and improved experiences in the bedroom.
If you're unhappy in your relationship, Napolitano suggests trying couples counseling. "It's worth talking openly and directly with your partner about how the relationship may have changed over the years and what can be done to reconstruct something that is pleasant to both of you," she says. From there, you can decide if things are worth saving or not.
You know the cliche of the old couple that's always either bickering or not talking? Avoid it at all costs. "The most common mistake we see long term couples over the age of 50 make in their relationship is to become content… to the point where they don't care to improve or address issues," says Cierra Fisher, LPCA, Ed.S., a licensed therapist at Healthy Habits Therapy in Charleston, South Carolina.
couples become less forthright as they age even around major issues like health problems. "They want to avoid being a burden to their partners and/or spouses, especially when their other half is going through midlife challenges of their own," says Nabil. "However, this often causes them to be distant and absent in the Dealingfeelingleavingrelationship,theirpartnersaloneandunwanted."withhealthissuesasa
Ideally, you can plan ahead to discover new shared and independent endeavors. Manly suggests things like volunteering, exercise programs, friendships, and travel.
5. They embrace complacency.
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Retirement causes a major change in your lifestyle, and couples must prepare for it properly. "Although the couple may be financially 'set,' they often aren't aware of or prepared for—the challenges that arise when work is no longer a major focus of their lives," says clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly. "Couples often end up bickering with each other as a result of spending too much time together, having insufficient personal interests, or having too few shared interests."
team is a necessity. Your partner deserves your full honesty and you deserve a person to rely on during challenging times.
Sometimes, you just have to call things quits. "I would say that one common relationship mistake that long term couples make over the age of 50 is staying in a relationship that no longer works due to fear of being alone or being single," says Lauren Napolitano, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist. "I work with women in therapy, and some women feel that they haven't been single since their early 20s and that it would be too scary to start over. They fear being unattractive to new suitors, they fear having to manage their own finances, and they worry that their kids might be angry with them if they divorce their partner."
4. They don't plan ahead for retirement.
"This is a mistake because it decreases fulfillment in the relationship and overall wellbeing." Turn things around by addressing any issues or dissatisfaction you have in the relationship. Then, work together to establish an action plan that targets and eventually eliminates those issues, says Fisher. "This will result in a more fulfilling, happier, healthier relationship at any age," she adds.
6. They stay in a relationship that no longer works.
A gym membership helps you get into shape and lose excess pounds. But you could lose more than that.
Autopay is ideal for payments that don’t fluctuate every month, such as your mortgage and car payments. You know what to expect from these bills every month, so it’s easier to plan and budget for automatic drafts. This isn’t the case with monthly expenses that fluctuate.
We can all use a simpler, more efficient way to manage expenses and save money. Putting your bills on autopay can ensure never forgetting a due date, which minimizes the risk of late fees and dings on your credit report. But although automatic payments can save time and streamline your personal finances, it isn’t the right choice for every expense.
Unless you’re on a budget plan through your utility company which lets you pay a set amount every month your water, gas and electric bills also will fluctuate every month. Therefore, it’s generally safer not to set utility bills on autopilot.
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Some cellphone plans also don’t have the same billing date each month. While you might have a set date say the 15th — others have a monthly cycle that varies depending on the number of days the month. That doesn’t guarantee a consistent payment date each
Before you get excited and put your entire financial life on autopilot, here are some bills you should never put on autopay.
By Valencia Higuera, GoBankingRates
Utilities Bill
If you’re committed to visiting the gym regularly, putting the monthly membership fee on autopay is a good idea. But despite your intentions, your actual time spent at
Autopay could do more harm than good for these specific bills.
month, and you could be caught off guard and out of funds if a payment posts when you weren’t expecting it.
Gym Membership
Since autopay is a hands off approach to paying bills, you’re also less likely to inspect your cellphone bill after setting up automatic payments. That means you might not catch billing errors and will pay more than necessary.
For example, a higher water bill can indicate a water leak in your house. If you set up auto draft for this bill and never review your statements, a leak might go unnoticed for months and cause extensive damage to your home and your wallet.
Cellphone Bill
9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay
Initiating one time payments every month involves signing into your accounts. In this case, you’re more likely to review statements before making a payment. And when you regularly review your statements, it’s easier to identify unusual price increases.
If you have an unlimited cellphone plan and your bill never varies, autopay is a time saving strategy for managing payments. There’s also the option of setting up automatic payments for a non unlimited cellphone plan. The problem, however, is that the amount you owe can change from month to month, depending on data usage. And if you forget to read your cellphone statement in months that you owe more than usual, the extra funds taken from your bank account could trigger an overdraft and bank fees.
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making a one time payment online, gives you the chance to review your bill for price increases and all the options you might not be using.
Streaming Video Services
Cable and Satellite Service
Evaluating your cable or satellite bill also will let you know when all those promotional offers you signed up for have expired. It also could motivate you to call the company and ask to renegotiate your services.
Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu are convenient because you can watch whatever you want, whenever you want. But think twice before signing up
Your cable and satellite bills can vary, especially if you watch a lot of movies on demand. With your cable bill automated and funds taken from your bank account, you might never monitor the amount you spend on extra
companies also seem to increase their rates every year and include fees for new offerings, such as regional sports networks, that you don’t watch. Paying the traditional way, by check or by
Cableservices.andsatellite
With autopay, some bills become out of sight and out of mind. As a result, there’s a risk of losing track of money being drafted from your account. Or, you become so accustomed to paying certain expenses that you fall into a rut of paying for a membership you never use.
On the other hand, if you pay monthly, you’re more likely to evaluate your gym usage occasionally and cancel the membership if you’re not using it.
the gym could be far less than anticipated to the point where it no longer makes sense to pay for a membership.
If you prefer reading the news over watching it, subscribing to a print or digital edition of a newspaper puts the latest headlines at your fingertips.
Beauty Boxes
Music services such as Spotify and Apple Music allow you to stream just about any song from any artist. The downside is that you have to provide a credit card or bank account number before accessing songs. The music service automatically charges the monthly fee to your Streamingaccount.music is a fun luxury, but only if you’re getting your money’s worth. If your usage drops and you stream less music (or you stop streaming altogether), the company continues to draft your account until you cancel your subscription. If you forget to cancel, you end up paying for a service you don’t use anymore.
Music Streaming
Several beauty brands promote beauty box subscriptions, where subscribers receive a box of products each month to sample at home. This is a smart marketing tactic for cosmetic companies, and it’s an easy way for you to experiment with different beauty
If you get used to streaming fees coming out of your bank account or being charged to your credit card every month, you might pay these fees month after month without considering whether you need the services. When you sign up for streaming but don’t take full advantage of the service, you’re essentially flushing money down the toilet.
Some newspapers give subscribers the option of automatic payments. This isn’t a bad deal if you read your subscription. But, of course, life can become hectic at a moment’s notice. And if you get busy and pile the newspapers in the corner without reading them, you’ll waste money paying for a subscription you don’t use.
Annual Subscriptions
If you have subscriptions or services that renew once a year, don’t set up automatic payments for these expenses. Even if you’re an organized person with an outstanding memory and a knack for writing everything on the calendar, annual expenses can catch you off guard. Since you don’t think about these bills on a regular basis, you might fail to remember the next due date, especially if you don’t receive a reminder.
brands before paying the full retail price.
On the other hand, if you schedule one time payments every month, you’re more likely to cancel the subscription once you’re no longer benefiting from the service.
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Newspaper Subscription
for these services. If you have cable, some of the shows and movies offered by streaming services are also available through your cable provider on demand.
Since these subscriptions are relatively inexpensive typically starting as low as $10 a month it can seem like a minor monthly expense. But the cost of a beauty box subscription adds up over the year. If you set up automatic payments for this subscription, you might neglect to break down the cost and calculate its value. You might spend more than $100 annually, yet only use a small percentage of the items in your boxes.
When annual subscriptions auto renew, you give the company or retailer permission to automatically charge your credit card or draft funds from your bank account on the next payment due date. If you don’t prepare for this expense, the company could draft your bank account when you don’t have enough funds in the account and cause an overdraft fee.
“Whether it’s booking plane tickets or ordering something you need by a certain date, doing things ahead of time or scheduling a time each week to knock out your to do’s for the next month will save you money,” he said.
You like to believe simply swiping your card for a purchase or return will get the right amount of money in or out of your ac count, but it’s not always that easy. Grewal recommended reviewing your bank or credit card statements monthly, so you can catch any inaccuracies.
“Many of us go to the store and forget if we have any baking powder or laundry detergent,” he said. “Take a quick inventory of your home before you head out.”
Read the rest here at https://www.gobankingrates.com/ money/financial planning/ways you waste money every day and-dont-realize-it/
If you’re like many people, you’re burning through cash like crazy. Overspending is never advisable, but this can be especially problematic if your money habits are either getting you into debt or making it hard for you to get out of debt. You might feel discouraged when looking at your month end bank balance, but a few simple changes can make a world of difference.
1. Banking Fees
4. Not Reviewing Transactions
“Use tools like Parkopedia or drive a few blocks outside the venue for street parking or ask for validation,” he said. “Most cities offer free (or) extended meter and street parking on Sundays and holidays or take transit if you can.”
’
Even with no fees, the account is packed with features like no fee overdraft coverage up to $50, up to 15% cash back at local establishments when you pay with your SoFi debit card, and automatic savings features to help you reach your savings
will only take a few extra minutes, but if you find a mistake, it can amount to major savings.
Debt-Free Future: Here’s how you can easily cut costs.
If you drive to your destination, you have to find a parking spot, but it’s not always free especially in cities. Gary Grewal, financial planner and author of “Financial Fives,” said savvy planning or a willingness to do a little extra walking can equate to big savings.
Ifaccounts.you
2. Parking
A quick glance at your monthly expenditures might not offer obvious clues as to where you’re overspending, but there’s likely plenty. When you’re able to identify these areas, you can make changes that probably won’t impact your life too much but will allow you to cut costs exponentially.
*SoFi members with direct deposit can earn up to 2.00% annual percentage yield (APY) interest on all account balances in their Checking and Savings accounts (including Vaults). Members without direct deposit will earn 1.00% APY on all account balances in Checking and Savings (including Vaults). Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. Rate of 2.00% APY is current as of 08/12/2022. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking rate sheet
5. Procrastinating
re looking for an exception to the rule, check out SoFi’s Checking and Savings Account. SoFi charges zero account fees and zero overdraft fees, meaning your money stays where it should, with you.
Ready to spend less money each month? Here’s a look at 10 ways you’re unknowingly wasting money.
3. Confused Shopping
If you tend to leave items on your to do list until the last minute, Grewal said this habit can force you to spend extra cash.
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Walking into the supermarket without a list of what you need means you’ll likely buy a lot of items you can do without. Grewal said this approach to grocery shopping can get expensive fast, so he suggested getting organized before making a trip to the store.
10 Ways You Waste Money Every Day and Don’t Realize It
Thegoals.benefits
don’t stop there. If you sign up for direct deposit you can earn a 2.00% APY (Annual Percentage Yield) with the SoFi Checking and Savings Account. And right now you can get a bonus of up to $300 when you sign up for direct deposit, plus you can get your paycheck up to two days early.
It’s always frustrating to be charged a fee to access your own money, but this is often the case when it comes to bank
“I personally have seen a merchant double charge my card, or charge the wrong amount or not return the item correctly,” he Thissaid.step
By Jennifer Taylor, GoBankingRates
Today’s BoomeR 25 Make Your Business Booming! Include Your Ad Now! Visit www.TodaysBoomerMagazine.com for More Advertising Information!
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• One time issue ads will run for the issue duration with four issues to run for one full year and will be visible in the archived issue. • Ad cost includes an active link accessible from the ad in the issue. • Promotion of the ad as seen in the issue through Today’s Boomer Magazine social media outlets. • Ads and payment must be submitted on the 25th of the month prior to desired Pleaserelease.contact us for inquiries for placing an ad on our website with available options such as links, page visibility, images, and promotions as well as ad duration. We also accept paid brand storytelling and articles to promote products and services which align with our audience. Please contact us for more information at www.TodaysBoomerMagazine.com
• Pinch Sea Salt
Finally a note on tahini it’s critical to great hummus. Finding good quality, fresh is far easier than it used to be, but if you want the best, you can build your own here’s how.
herbaceous and very complex. They are definitely NOT buttery. Think of Greek oils as flavor enhancers and condiments. There are different tastes in Greek olive oils which are great to experiment with. Some have a tomato leaf essence, others are more lemony. You can get good Greek olive oils online at Greek markets and food shops.” Don’t know about y’all, but you don’t need to tell me twice I’ve been a convert ever since I read that.
Fall in Love with Fresh Homemade Hummus & Tahini
Bakesheet.until
House Made Tahini
Preheat oven to 350° F and set a rack in the middle position.
BOOMER HEALTHY EATING:
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For olive oil, my hands down choice is top quality Greek oil, and I’ll let my Tribal Sister, Christy Hohman Caine, explain why “Your raw oil should come from Kalamata or Crete and be labeled PDO (protected designation of origin). Greek oils are usually greenish to greenish gold in color. They are zippy, peppery, grassy, and
• 1 Cup fresh Sesame Seeds
Pour seeds and oil into a processor, (or blender), and pulse until a smooth paste forms add more oil if needed, a teaspoon
Ubiquitous in the Middle East, this dip/spread is built from chickpeas, (AKA garbanzos). they’re widely cultivated and enjoyed throughout the region, and for good reason They pack decent calories, mono and poly unsaturated fats, no cholesterol, and an excellent assortment of vitamins. Add good olive oil, lemon juice, tahini (ground sesame seeds), garlic, and a pinch of salt, and you’ve got a delicious treat. You’ll find a lot of online recipes using canned garbanzos, but you won’t find that here your finished product is only as good as your ingredients. The first time you cook top quality dried against anything canned, you’ll never use the latter again it’s a night and day difference. Get dried garbanzos from Rancho Gordo and you’ll get the best of the best, and likely never look back.
Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
• +/ 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
seeds lightly brown and are fragrant, about 10 12 minutes.
ByChefEben www.urbanmonique.comAtwater
If you’ve ever had great hummus, you know it’s a treat. If you’ve experienced meh hummus, maybe too often, you owe it to yourself to make your own while you can’t control the freshness or quality of store bought, you sure can do so at home.
Spread seeds evenly across a clean baking
Add garlic cloves to a food processor and pulse until well Addminced.garbanzos, lemon juice, tahini, and cumin, and pulse a few times to get things incorporated.
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
reduce heat as far as you can while still getting a simmer bubble and let them go low and slow until they’re creamy and almost starting to fall apart a bit.
• 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
at a time.
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
Allow the peas to cool to close to room temperature.
Urban’s House Made Hummus
Running the processor, add the oil in a slow steady stream. Stop several times to scrape the sides down with a spatula.
Cook the garbanzos in the RG manner stove top, covered with 2+” of fresh water, with 2 bay leaves and 2 3 small cloves of peeled and trimmed garlic. Bring to a full boil for 10 15 minutes, then reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook until the peas are tender, always maintaining at least 2” of water above the peas add simmering hot water from a tea kettle to top things off.
• Vegetable crudités and/or pita bread for chowing
NOTE: volumes of ingredients other than garbanzos are to our taste we think it makes great hummus that said, the batch you make is yours, so adjust as needed to get what you love.
• 1/3 Cup fresh Tahini
Do as Steve Sando advises on the RG website for cooking beans
Taste and adjust as desired keep in mind that it takes a good 15 to 30 minutes for everything to get truly cozy and Transferincorporated.toaserving
bowl, drizzle with a bit more oil, and dust with the paprika.
Chow down with veggie crudités, pita chips, flatbread, your finger, Branchetc.out and maybe top a bed of hummus with spiced beef and pine nuts, a wonderful Lebanese treat.
• 3 cloves fresh Garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground Cumin
• 1 pound Rancho Gordo Garbanzos
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Drain the peas and reserve bean broth it’s magic stuff as a base for soup or stew, or added to a pan sauce.
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Add salt and continue to process until you have a smooth, creamy consistency. If things are too thick, add a tablespoon at a time of oil to thin it out.
Store in a glass, airtight container in a cool, dark spot. Tahini may separate over time, but just flip and shake your container and it’ll be good as new.
Store refrigerated in an airtight glass container for up to 5 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
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