Over at the Lifestyles channel, they have put together a Virtual Mall with lots of great shopping ideas. Maybe I can talk my family into looking at the list of gifts for quilters and fabric artists on Quilting and Patchwork.
The Splendicity (Beauty and Style) channel will give you plenty of inspiration in its holiday gift-giving guide. I’m checking out the fabulous shoes list for my daughter-in-law.
I’ll give you more as I find them.
Today is Black Friday. The official start of the holiday shopping season. Some are predicting a dismal season. Lots of bargains will be available, I predict. But should all of us rush out and spend money or not?
Although it hasn’t been officially announced, we certainly are in a recession. Defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth in the economy, a recession is clearly underway. With the decline in home values, the hit we Baby Boomers took on our retirement funds, and the media’s constant bad news, it’s no wonder the predictions are for a dismal holiday shopping season.
According to …read more
In honor of Thanksgiving in the U.S. today, I got to thinking about things for which I’m thankful. In my list, I decided to include being thankful I’m a Baby Boomer and for my really great job here at Bizzia with Small Business Boomers. Here is why:
1. I like being part of history – Baby Boomers are the largest single demographic group in history. I think that’s pretty cool.
2. I enjoy interacting with other Baby Boomers who have similar interests and ideas. It’s fun to get emails from people who “get” what I’m trying to do.
3. I figure we all …read more
You probably think I am nuts. You just lost a bunch of money by having your 401(k)/IRA invested in the stock market. But now is the best time to keep investing. For some of us, who are on the verge of retirement, it may be too late, because you are done investing, or need the money as income. For the rest, take advantage of this opportunity: It’s called “dollar cost averaging.”
Your contributions to your 401(k)/IRA will buy you more shares of mutual funds or stocks/bonds now. In part, it’s the principle of “buy low/sell high.” I know we all missed …read more
“Green Business” has been a buzzword for several years now, but the green may be fading. If you are a Baby Boomer looking for a business concept, you can find lots of opportunities to start a business selling “green” products, but you might find that “green” doesn’t sell like it used to. Green businesses may be overrated right now as people struggle with a down economy and fewer dollars to spend.
The concept of “green” actually started, as I remember, back in the 1960’s with the environmental movement. I first heard about it when I was in college, over 40 years …read more
For those of us Baby Boomers who have been buying homes for years, it was a big surprise a few years ago for us to learn that we could buy a home and get a 100% LTV (loan to value) mortgage. Well, not any more. The banks are finally tightening up and requiring 20% down again. It’s about time.
Over the years, I have owned many homes (I count 24, including the one my husband and I currently own). In the late 1990s, I started to see the 100% home equity loans and I wondered, “Why would people do that?” Even …read more
Baby boomer business owners, Gen Y business owners, and everyone in between needs help with their businesses. And a new business reality show on A&E is here to help. The show: “We Mean Business” (sponsored by Dell). The episode I watched was about a Baby Boomer named Doug of Outback Catering. Doug needs to get his 20-year-old catering business back on track.
The format: kind of a “make-over” show for businesses. You know the kind. Like “trading spaces” and “extreme home makeover.” Only for businesses.
The people: Business owners with attitude and 3 experts with more attitude. Bil Rancic, the original “Apprentice” …read more
A recent article in Reuters provides the results of a survey showing that half of adults surveyed refuse flu shots. Some of us Baby Boomers have chronic conditions that may lead to complications from the flu, so many doctors recommend it. Of those surveyed, 48% said they won’t get a flu shot, many stating as their reason: “I don’t get sick” (45%).
Other reasons for not getting a flu shot are that it’s better to build up an immunity, that the vaccines are ineffective (26%) or that flu shots can bring on the flu (41%). I’m with the 26% who believe …read more
This weekend, a couple of questions for you. Today, a pro-and-con about the possible bailout of the top U.S. automakers. Tomorrow, a discussion of flu vaccines and why people don’t get them.
First, the auto maker bailout:
Two articles in Harvard Business Publishing debated the issue of whether GM/Chryslter/Ford should be bailed out.
David Silverman says we should bail out GM/Chrysler/Ford and not worry about “survival of the fittest.” In other words, he says, if you see a dog get hit by a truck, you don’t say, “tough,” you help the dog. If a company is in trouble, you help first, and ask …read more
If you are a baby boomer worried about the erosion of your retirement savings, and you have extra cash in your business this year (“Cash?” “What’s cash?”), consider starting a 401(k) for your business instead of getting an IRA. You can start a 401(k) even if you have a sole proprietorship. As a matter of fact, it’s easier to start a 401(k) if you have no employees, because the administrative regulations and restrictions are less.
The advantage of a 401(k) over an IRA is that you can put more money in it. You can put $15,500 in the 401(k) plan ($20,500 …read more
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