3 Easy Ways to Save Money in Retirement

Are you worried about saving money in retirement? You are not alone. Most of us who are in retirement or thinking about retirement wonder if there are easy ways to save money that will not impact the standard of living we enjoyed before retirement. Here are three ways you can save in retirement that do not require you to abandon your current lifestyle and may in facts enhance that lifestyle:

A. Always ask for the senior discount. This is probably the easiest way to save money, usually 5 to 10 % and sometimes even more. These discounts sometimes apply even to those 55 and over and almost all apply to those over 65. Many theatre chains offer discounts as most people know. But did you know you can get a discount at hotels? The U.S. also gives you a break. You can obtain a senior pass at any of the National Parks operated by the National Park Service. http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2012/06/national-park-service-senior-pass.html http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-easy-way-to-visit-national-parks.htmlThe senior pass entitles you and three others in your party to enjoy the national parks for free. If you are a member of AARP, they will provide you with a list of other businesses where members can get discounts. If you are a former member of the military, you may also be entitled to a discount (usually 10%) at retailers such as Lowe's and the Home Depot. You will need to obtain a identification card from the VA or the Department of Defense to obtain these discounts.

B. Buy Products that last. This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but it is one that is often ignored both in and out of retirement.  If you are buying a large ticket item such as a new car or refrigerator, you need to do your homework to determine which product will provide you with the longest wear. An excellent source of information is Consumer Reports magazine. It will provide you with unbiased analysis of just about anything you are interested in buying. It is well worth the subscription price of $20 or so, which you will probably save on your first purchase. Also shop around. The most advertised product may not be the ones that last longest. For example, everybody knows about Gillette razors and blades, but did you hear of Wilkinson blades?  I've been using them for years and they are usually cheaper and last much longer than other razor blades.

C Do it yourself. With the advent of television networks such as HGTV and DIY, there is certainly a boom in this country of persons who do their own repair and renovation work. This is an enormous potential money saver for retirees, who generally have the time to work on these projects.  And with You Tube showing you how to do just about anything, you should take advantage of those resources and fix that running toilet or repair that broken wood floor. You might be amazed how handy you really are and surely, you will be amazed at how much money you can save by going the DIY route. Try it.

The Easy Way to Visit the National Parks

An  article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal, entitled "Hikes in the Nation's Parks---Without the Sweat", offers suggestions for Boomers and others with somewhat limited mobility to enjoy the national parks without hiking long distances or climbing hills.  March 20, 2013. http://online.wsj.com

The article points out several must-sees such as the Mariposa Grove of giant Sequoia trees in California's Yosemite National Park. While there are several walking options available to see the thousand year old trees (some are believed to be as much as 3000 years old!), a good option is the narrated open-air tram ride that follows the same path that hikers follow.

Similarly, at the Grand Canyon, you could hike the seven miles or more to the bottom of the canyon or, again, there are free shuttle buses that allow you to hop on and off over some eight miles of the canyon's trails.  You know what choice I'm going to make when I get there.

The article also discusses various options at Acadia National Park in Maine, Wyoming's Yellowstone, the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and western North Carolina, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and Mount Rainier in Washington State.  All of these parks have their own wonderful attractions from Yellowstone's Old Faithful and other geysers to Shenandoah's not to be missed Skyline Drive.

If you are 62 or older, you can purchase a National Parks Senior pass for $10.  It is good forever and allows you and three guests free access to all of the national parks run by the National Park Service. It is well worth the price. See "The National Park Service Senior Pass" in this blog.

National Park Service Senior Pass

If you are 62 years old or older, you are eligible to purchase a lifetime pass for seniors from the National Park Service.  For only $10, you can have access to all of the national parks run by the National Park Service. Since that number is close to 400, that is quite a bargain.  But, as they say in those infomercials on television, it gets even better.  Not only you have that access, you can take along 3 other persons with you on your visit---at no charge.

We were recently in St. Augustine, Florida and visited the Castillo de San Marcos. It was there that one of the park rangers told us of this real steal. By the way, the Castillo is an absolute must-see if you get a chance to visit that part of the country. It is in excellent condition, despite dating back to 1672. Built by the Spanish to protect their empire in America, it was built to last. Some of the walls are said to be between 14 and 19 feet thick. It was also surrounded by a 40 foot moat. Large cannons still line the gun deck. At 2:30 p.m. during our visit last Sunday, there was a demonstration of the firing of one of those cannons.  It was an excellent show that had everyone cheering.

Two suggestions: If you are interested in visiting the national parks, by all means secure a senior pass. And if you are in the vicinity, you must stop and see the Castillo de San Marcos.