Retire In Style Blog Too

by Barbara Torris I had planned on writing about my beautiful grandchildren today...a trip to the park, playing on  the structures and walking through the woods. Then I saw an article in The Daily Beast about the connection between our diet and the way our mind deteriorates. Writer David Permutter, MD titled his article Why We Can and Must Focus on Preventing Alzheimer's . Holy Moly Miss Molly! When it comes to taking care of our minds, we need to sit up a pay attention and sit up and pay attention I did. This man is talking a preventing Alzheimer's for goodnes sakes! I could only think if Alzheimer's could be prevented the whole face of aging would change. Here are some of the study outcomes they used a reference points It turns out that even if you do NOT have diabetes, eating a diet laced with sugar is not a good idea. An increase in blood sugar may damage our minds and  lead to dementia. A study done in England between 1979-2010 put increases in deaths related to bra...

Oh my gosh...this is the dress our winner from West Hollywood chose. Isn't Boogie Woogie  the most glamorous dress you have ever seen. This is what Shabby Apple had to say about it: Some things are just better together: peanut butter and chocolate, Ella and Louis, love and dancing.  We decided to pair two things we love—the soft, cotton jersey of our favorite t-shirt, and the gorgeous sateen of our Jazz Age collection—to create the Boogie Woogie, an indispensably comfortable-yet-elegant little black dress.  A luxe jersey cap sleeve top is gathered at the waist with a wide satin sash, and a veritable bouquet of appliquéd, ruched flowers and leaves adorns the full sateen skirt that swirls just below your knee.  A truly inspired combination,the Boogie Woogie has star potential. Our winner is an XS so it will be stunning on her. If wishes were fishes I would be an XS and own a dress just like it! Have a wonderful day. b+

A  Possessed TV? Honestly, sometimes I think my houses are haunted. I have no idea if this stuff ever happens to anyone else. It could be that I need a support group. It could be called "People that own appliances that can talk!" or something like that. Once I had a stove that flung the enamel off the stove top all over the house. We would sit watching TV and a piece of gold enamel would go flying across the room. The people that sold us the appliance did not believe me and would not replace it. We had to pay for a new stove top out of our own pocket. Later that same stove decided to unplug itself in middle of a party. I had 40 people in my house and the stove pulled out into the middle of the kitchen to plug it back in. But this last experience has me shaking my head. We just bought a new TV for our bedroom. When I change the channel or the volume, the fire alarm goes off...three times! The alarm is right over my head in the bedroom and it is deafening. We also have a sleep ...

Debt has become the most common problem for almost all in the US. It is an evil which ruins your present and also your future. Therefore, it is extremely important to avoid debt as much as possible and work on eliminating the ones you already have. This is because, if you retire with debt, you will simply face problems and get harassed over unpaid debt. You will not have the money to attend to the everyday needs of life. So, it would be better for you to try to reduce payoff credit and eliminate debts at the same time. It is not only about household or credit card debt, but it also is about mortgages and the student loan debt.   Reducing your debts It is risky to retire with debt and that is the reason most of the baby boomers are planning to work more. So, some of the tips which can help you reduce your debts are as follows: Be zealous about debt payoffs - You will have to take the initiative, so that you can actually go on to bring down the debt level. You will have to try an...

I have contacted the Shabby Apple vintage dress winner. But I am not telling you just yet. I want to let you know who our winner is with a little information about them. That is not available yet.  Stay tuned for more information! Barbara

Shabby Apple contacted me with an offer I could not refuse. They want YOU to have a vintage dress for free!  Interested?  Just email me at retireinstyleblog@gmail.com with "Shabby Apple" in the subject line and leave a comment here on the blog telling me which one you like and why. I will announce the winner on Friday, August 23. One of these could be yours. In the mean time go ahead and visit the Shabby Apple Vintage Clothing Collection. I loved the elegant look of the styles. I think you will too! Marigold Skirt Sea Breeze Heart of Me

The photo I took... The photo I wish I had taken... How long have you been retired? Three months or 15 years? I am very interested in what you dreamed you would do and how it actually turned out. Are the two the same or are you still dreaming about what you thought you would do? Or do you even want to do what you dreamed of anymore? See, I think retirement is a lot like the two games of golf that my male friends talk about after a round with friends. There is the game they almost played and the real game reflected on their score card. One card has pictures of putts that almost dropped and long drives that were amazing. The other one, the real one does not have pictures and the only thing that it shows are the numbers. After all, in the end, the game is about the numbers. Really, there are no pictures on a score card. So, let me know.  How has your retirement turned out? Did your dreams come true? b+ Be sure to read Bob Lowry's article over at Next Avenue: What Retirees Say Retirem...

Cannon Beach, Oregon Haystack Rock When friends come to town and ask to spend some time with my husband and I, they get to spend time with us but they are asked to do what I want. After all, it is all about me! Like my blog posts when I write what I want because I figure you will want to hear what I have to say, friends need to know if I am interested in something they will be going to my favorite place and looking at what I like to see. Today was one of those day. Our friends and a few thousand other people decided to go to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Wow, it was just as beautiful as we I thought it would be. The cast of character were: A Bride... Husband and Satisfied Retiree Bob Lowry+ A Dancing Man (90 years old)... Tide pool lookers... Thousands of friends... My friend Betty (taking picture and my husband in the red shirt)... And me (the guy is my husband) I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. b+

One of the most important aspects of enjoying your retirement is being able to pay for it. A majority of American's retirement savings are in the forms of 401(k)s and IRAs. Unfortunately many of these retirement accounts lost money in the past 5 years. One of the reasons for that is because typically IRAs are comprised of a small blend of stocks, bonds and mutual funds that are chosen by brokers. What most people don't know, is that you can use the funds in your IRA to buy almost anything you want, and the income you earn from these investments is tax-free or tax differed. The big secret here,is that these types of IRAs outperform typical IRAs and 401(k)s and have lower yearly fees. To get started with this type of investment strategy you simply need to convert your IRA or 401(k) into a Self Directed IRA. Then you can take the funds from your Self Directed IRA and literally write a check to buy investments. Here are some of the things people are investing in using their IRA fun...

The Number One Danger of Being a Stay at Home Mom was the name of the blog post. All I could think was "Is there only one?" Really, being a stay at home mom is a choice that has so many ramifications I cannot even wrap my mind around it. I was a stay at home mom in the 1960's. But nothing has really changed accept the hairdos and the clothes. No matter the time or the place, a parent really needs to think about the choices they will have. Face the facts before the train leaves the station and the baby is conceived or at the very latest born. Once you become a parent your choices are there but you may not like them. On the other hand, making the choice and then doing a wonderful job is a reward all and of itself. There is no right or wrong way. He said, She said I am looking at this from the vantage point of my 71+ years. Having lived the life of a stay at home mom I know how it feels.  I know the isolation that comes from not having a career to discuss with friends. I un...

By Barbara Torris (b+). She is a retirement blogger talking about a beautiful life style. I was visiting with a blogging friend the other day and the conversation turned to boomerang-kids. This seems to be a conversation I am having frequently. I suppose it is on my mind. The question is How does the extra adult in the house come into play when it comes to  retirement saving? Can people catch the boomerang before it lands in their front yard? Some people are not happy living with adult children and some are. If they are not, they need to be looking at a way to prevent their children from boomeranging. The blogging friend's wife and I started the conversation with boomerangs and ended it with downsizing in retirement. We looked at each other in amazement as it occurred to both of us at the same time that many mid-life and retired people are downsizing so that, when the children need help, coming home to live will not be a choice. They know it would not be a happy situation for t...

Planning for retirement is often but on hold because Boomerang-kids are returning home during the period of time when parents need to speed up their retirement savings. I thought this article was particularly appropriate after writing the segment about the subject. Later Life is an organization providing educational workshops for future retirees. They had this to say about retirement planning. b+ Many people wonder when the best time to start planning for their retirement is. Some people think that the fact that we pay into a pension from a young age is enough, but few people realize that we should really up their efforts in planning for retirement around ten years before we’re due to stop working. This gives us sufficient time to prepare our finances and assess our options. Retirement is an exciting prospect; after all your hard work over the years, you finally get the chance to relax and spend more time with your family and friends, take up new hobbies, and enjoy yourself! When sho...

When the subject turns to boomerang-kids , people come crawling out of the woodwork with opinions. It seems many have quite a bit to say about something they have never experienced. I am here to have my say because I have...had a boomerang-kid that is.  Out on the web... I have been reading the posts and articles about the subject recently and I have found that the thinking of many is that the children are malingerer and just need to get out there and do something. A blog called Gypsy Nester calls these young people Boomerang Brats . After I read the post and all it's research, I had to agree. A lot of these children are taking advantage of their parents.  Parents threw the boomerang... But I have to take a less harsh approach. I think in a great many cases neither the parent or the child see the move as being a bad thing. And it is not just the children that promote moving back in with mom and dad. Parents could be held partly responsible for the trend. If it does turn ou...

Guest Blogger Bio: Karen D. Austin is a gerontologist who spend her time as an adjunct, blogger, and volunteer with older adults in a variety of venues. She lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband and two children. Her approach to aging is part science, part performance art. She blogs at The Generation above Me . Follow her on Twitter @ TheGenAboveMe About five years ago, I started to maintain a list of films that feature people from late midlife on.  I was still teaching college English at the time and well versed in the concerns of those 18 to 25. I spent three decades supporting the intellectual development of young adults. Sometimes I offered them a little emotional support, too.  I am interested in human growth and development, but because I spent so much time in a university setting with undergraduates, I was woefully inattentive about life challenges and opportunities for those 50 plus. Watching these films peaked my curiosity.  I won’t claim...