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.

The Boomer's Guide to the Roosevelt Homes: Top Cottage

In addition to his Springwood estate in Hyde Park, just a few short miles away, was Franklin Roosevelt's retreat known as Top Cottage. FDR spent many days in this idyllic spot on a hill with the Hudson River Valley visible through the trees in the distance from his back porch. He had intended to use it as a place to write and think after his presidency but made many visits to it between 1939 and his death in 1945. It was specially designed to accommodate his wheelchair long before the Americans with Disabilities Act. Although he never spent the night there, he would often entertain guests including King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth (the "Queen Mum") in a famous visit that included a picnic lunch on the back porch which included hot dogs!

Top Cottage is now operated by the National Parks Service and is available for tours only three times a day via shuttle bus from the Henry Wallace center located at the Roosevelt Library and Museum near Springwood.  The tour guide we had the day we visited was named Charlotte and was quite knowledgeable and charming. She had us all sit on chairs on the back porch and contemplate the lovely environment.  It was a mindfulness moment,

The Boomer's Guide to the Roosevelt Homes in Hyde Park

Franklin D. Roosevelt,  or "FDR" as he was affectionately known, was born in Hyde Park, New York and spent a good part of his life there.  Stricken with polio when he was just 39, he went on to become the 32nd President of the United States of America. He led the nation out of the Great Depression in the 1930s and led the country to victory in World War II.  FDR was elected president four times before dying in the first year of his fourth term in 1945.Although he died before most boomers were born, he remains a fascinating figure for boomers as well as those who were alive during his presidency.  We are fortunate to be able to visit the home he grew up in and often returned to during his life, Springwood, the cottage he used as a retreat, Top Cottage and the house used by his wife, Eleanor, as her own separate retreat, Val-Kil. All are located within a few miles of each other in Hyde Park, New York.

FDR's boyhood home, Springwood, is located on a 1500 acre tract on Route 9 in Hyde Park. It has been designated as a National Historic Site and is operated by the National Park Service. Because of that, all of the Roosevelt sites, Springwood, Top Cottage and Val Kil, are free to those with a senior National Park Service Pass. Up to four guests are also free. There is a charge, however, for the Presidential Museum and Library (which was under renovation when we visited).  Free shuttle service is offered between Springwood and Top Cottage and Val-Kil on The Roosevelt Ride, which is available at the Henry Wallace Center.  Wallace had been FDR's vice president.

Springwood

Springwood is available for tours conducted by very knowledgeable volunteers who take you through the house. Photography is allowed inside the house. The house itself is a mixture of Victorian furniture (his mother, Sara Delano was a major figure in FDR's life and was of that era) and political accessories. One whole wall of the entrance way is covered with political cartoons. Springwood has basically been kept the way that it was when FDR was president. His den and bedroom are particularly interesting.

In addition to the house itself, there are stables which contain riding gear and which still smell of horses.  There is a large rose garden on the property that also contains FDR's tomb.

Our next post will discuss the presidential retreat, Top cottage and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt's personal retreat and cottage industry located in Val-Kil a few miles away.