Hey Baby Boomers-Here Is Some Travel Advice Just for You

If you were born between the end of World War II and the beginning of the Vietnam War, you are a Baby Boomer. Some Boomers have taken early retirement already, and others are on the verge of this new chapter in their lives. ‘Travel’ is at the top of the list for many.

Planning Your Trip

Your travel itinerary should be part of a careful process. Plan a holiday with plenty of ‘you’ time. You should finish every vacation feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

Baby Boomers are generally quite fit when compared to our ancestors. However, increasing numbers of obese or overweight adults are plagued with bad backs, high cholesterol levels, and fragile knee joints.

Don’t just pick a cruise and pack your bags. Keep your interests and physical limitations in mind. If you are a swimming fanatic, you might want to try scuba diving. However, asthma would preclude a scuba vacation. You might have to settle for snorkeling instead. If you have a bad back, don’t plan to go hiking in the Andes.

The older you are, the less likely you are to have a comfortable night’s sleep. Try to find a hotel or bed and breakfast with memory foam mattresses and soundproof walls.

When booking your room, ask the reservations desk if they offer discounts for seniors. Some lodging establishments will provide a substantial discount as early as age 55. Don’t consider yourself ‘old’ just because you are 55. Think of some fabulous Baby Boomers like Suzanne Somers, Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone, and Dolly Parton. They all celebrated 60th birthdays in 2006.

Preparations

Apply for a passport at least 6 months in advance if you don’t already have one. Some countries will not allow you to cross their borders with a passport that is near its expiry date. Contact embassies or do some research online so that you are aware of current regulations.

Check with your physician to see if there are any activities you should avoid. Your doctor can also advise you regarding immunizations, give you prescription refills, and provide photocopies of crucial medical information. Many countries will only allow clearly labeled prescription medications where the name on the bottle matches the passport. If you require supplies like alcohol swabs and other support products, purchase them ahead of time. You may not be able to locate what you need in a foreign country.

Be aware of the coverage provided by your current medical insurance policies. It may be prudent to purchase extra insurance for unexpected (and uncovered) contingencies such as air evacuation.

Packing

Travel activities can cause swollen feet. Sensible, comfortable footwear that is one width wider and 1/2 size larger than usual is advisable. Never pack brand new shoes or boots.

Sleep disturbances become more frequent as we age. Pack some foam earplugs so you won’t have to worry about your partner’s snoring, creaking floorboards, or disturbances in the hallway outside your room.

Many of us find that foods we used to enjoy now cause symptoms like gas, cramps, or constipation. At home, we can compensate by watching what we eat. However, when dining in restaurants, we are often faced with unfamiliar and exotic fare that can wreak havoc with the gastrointestinal system. Pack a bottle of digestive enzymes. They are available in big department stores like Wal-Mart, as well as pharmacies and health food stores.

A small memory foam travel pillow can cradle your head while you nap onboard the plane - or it can provide relief from a sore back if you put it between your knees while you sleep at night.

Keep your hands free when you go on tours. A good backpack is the key. Shop around until you find a comfortable pack that is easy to put on and remove.

Partay!

Each day before you leave the room, check the weather forecast and dress accordingly - in layers. If you get too warm later in the day, you can peel something off and put it in your backpack.

Your backpack can also be used for meds, your travel pillow, a bottle of water, and other essentials. Valuables and important papers should never go in the pack, however. Keep them in a next-to-skin money belt (zipper side in) with only small amounts of cash in another easily accessed wallet or pocket.

Fresh water is crucial. Proper hydration will keep your energy level at optimum and prevent that old travel bane - constipation.

Wherever you go, whatever you do, wear a smile and be polite. A cheerful attitude will be infectious and will transform your time away from home into a truly happy, memorable experience.

Kathy Steinemann writes for several websites, including 1st Rate Articles, 111 Travel Directory, and 1000 Tips 4 Trips - a site with over 1000 travel tips.

A Beginner’s Guide to Flipping Houses

If you’re dreaming of making money in real estate, it’s time to stop dreaming and get to work, because making money in real estate isn’t just a vague pipedream. It can be done, even by a young and inexperienced person, when you learn how to “flip” houses.

A friend of mine, we’ll call her Tai, made a fortune in real estate, beginning at the age of twenty, with no help from anyone else. Here’s how she did it:

Tai began by buying a HUD repo, which allowed her to get into the house for no money down. Then she fixed it up and sold it herself. At closing, she had made enough profit to by a second fixer-upper, but this time, she paid all cash. Tai went right to work fixing her second house, and when she sold that one, she collected profit of $44,000, which allowed her to pay cash for her third house!

By now, Tai was comfortable with her formula, and within a short time, she had flipped her third house, realizing enough profit to pay cash for yet another house, as well as being able to buy the custom pickup of her dreams. And all of this had happened in the span of just nine months!

Tai’s formula was simple. She located houses that needed only cosmetic work, avoiding those that required structural repairs. She did all the painting herself, inside and out, and updated the home’s lighting, plumbing fixtures, and carpeting. Once renovations had been completed, all three houses sold quickly, and at a significant profit.

Flipping houses is the most tried-and-true way to make a fortune in real estate, so don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you that it can’t be done or that you need to have a great deal of start-up money. That’s not true. You can buy houses with no money down through various loan programs, and sellers will often help you with the closing costs.

I know what I’m talking about. My husband and I bought our 27th house earlier this year, for no money down, and we expect to make a profit of at least $100,000 for just one month of hard work!

But we take the process a step further, making our houses outshine the competition by also using Design Psychology, although our buyers never know that. All they know is that they feel good when they’re in our homes, which makes them want to buy them, even if they’re more expensive than the house next door.

There’s no other business that can make you as much money, with as little start-up cost, in as short a time, as investing in real estate. In fact, more millionaires made their fortunes in real estate than in any other business. And you can do it, too. You just have to stop dreaming and get started.

Copyright © 2004 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Get started today making money flipping houses amd real estate investing–without worries about the “pending real estate crash.” Free real estate investing business plan from Jeanette Fisher and free ebook, The Truth about Making Money Flipping Houses: http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com

Who Said It Will Improve Standard of Living?

Retire In Costa Rica - Baby Boomers Improve Standard Of Living Instantly

Million of baby boomers are due to retire over the next few years and many are worried about their standard of living.

Their living longer, have not saved enough, have reduced state support and soaring medical insurance. So what can they do to maintain their standard of living?

The answer lies just 3 hours from the US. They can retire to Costa Rica and not just make ends meet, but improve their standard of living and their still close to home.

This of course is not the only reason to retire to Costa Rica. Let’s look at all the reasons If you retire to Costa Rica you get a huge advantages in cost and lifestyle:

1. Cost

One of the main reasons people first want to retire to Costa Rica is the cost. Consider this fact you can spend up to 100,000 in Florida but of you retire to Costa Rica the same lifestyle costs around a 10th of that!

When you retire to Costa Rica you pay no income taxes on foreign earned income and no capital gains taxes. You also have access to world-class medical facilities and affordable medical plans.

Property is up to 70% cheaper and property tax is just 0.25%.

You simply get more for your money and those social security checks go a lot further when you retire to Costa Rica.

2. You feel at home

This is another major reason that people retire to Costa Rica. You feel at home because its only 3 hours by direct flight and the people are friendly but there is also a huge ex pat population of Americans, Canadians and Europeans.

This means you are surrounded by epats you know, who have created a culture that is familiar.

Some people like to retire alone and blend in with the local culture others don’t. When you retire to Costa Rica you can choose which you want to do.

3. Entertainment and relaxation

You have it all in Costa Rica its one of the top adventure tourism destinations in the world. You can choose from stunning beaches, rainforest, rolling hills, volcanoes and the Pacific and Caribbean.

It’s beautiful, but unlike many other retirement destinations it has good infrastructure and great entertainment and nightlife.

These are just some of the advantages you get when you retire to Costa Rica but there are many more in this beautiful and crime free paradise country.

If you have ever thought about retiring abroad but not got round to it then Costa Rica is a good place to start. Its close home and you will feel at home, when you retire to Costa Rica. You will also be able to enjoy a lifestyle you can only dream about now.

Consider the facts and you will see why more and more baby boomers are heading south.

More FREE info

For more free info on living and retiring and how to invest in property in Costa Rica visit our website for news, videos and your free guide at http://www.costaricalandlots.com.

Baby Boomers-Why the Label?

Just because you were born between 1946 and 1964, should you be grouped and labeled as a Baby Boomer or should you really be thought of as a unique individual? Good question… and both are true.

Being born and growing up during a given time period generally has some particular meaning or importance. That is very much the case with the Baby Boomer generation. Now that retirement age is here or just around the corner for Baby Boomers, our entire society is about to be subjected to major culture and marketing challenges that we have never been seen before. The impact of such a huge group of people retiring and having free time to spend will demand that goods and services be modified or adapted to fit their market. And generally speaking, Baby Boomers are affluent and willing to spend their money on those goods and services.

But let’s get back to the fact that Baby Boomers are also very much unique individuals. It is obvious that if you think back over the past 60 years or so you will be astounded at the tremendous changes that the entire world has undergone. At the end of World War II, there weren’t computers, Teflon, rockets to the Moon or even disc brakes on cars. People had to invent, produce and market all the millions of products that we now take for granted. All those millions of people who were involved in bringing us the technological and physical advancements we are currently enjoying are now reaching retirement. Sure, we call them the Baby Boomer generation… but they are also very much unique individuals in their own right.

There should not be a problem with the label. It absolutely makes no difference whether we try to distinguish between being a Baby Boomer, an individual or any other label. The important thing is that we appreciate all the wonderful things that the people who are now considered part of the Boomer Generation have brought to the table. It’s their turn to enjoy their retirement years, their families and their autonomy as individuals.

Welcome to the Baby Boomer generation!

The author is a full-time online marketer who has developed and manages several websites. For more information on Baby Boomers, retirement, health, wellness, travel, etc., check out the website at Stuff4Boomers.com where you will find helpful information and products that are

Where to Retire Abroad

The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age and many soon to be retirees are considering their broad retirement options – after all, if families have flown the nest and employment is no longer something one need consider, what’s stopping more people from retiring abroad and generally seeking a more exciting, affordable or enjoyable way of life?

This only begs the question about where to retire abroad to – there are of course endless possibilities!

A new survey has been conducted in the UK about where in the world British retirees are relocating to, and more often than not there are similarities between the destinations British baby boomers choose and reasons for their choices and the locations that Northern Americans and Europeans choose.

For example, the number one location for British expatriates is Australia – this is because the main language spoken is English, the climate is far more attractive than the British climate and the standard of living is high. These factors drive an overwhelming number of people’s choices.

First things first the lack of a language barrier - it seems that many of us are reluctant to or unsure about learning another language, but this can limit our choices to nations around the world where English is widely understood. So, why not consider learning a foreign language such as Spanish before even planning retirement? Having a foreign language under your belt before retirement opens up many more options and Spanish is one of the most popular languages to learn as it is spoken or understood in such a variety of nations from Spain to Costa Rica, from Mexico to Argentina.

Other locations chosen by British retirees seeking finer weather and a better standard of living include Florida, Spain, France, South Africa and Cyprus. For Northern Americans Florida is also a popular choice but Caribbean countries and Latin American nations are more popular choices than their European counterparts as they are more accessible to American retirees.

Accessibility is an important concern when looking at where in the world to live because we all have family and friends and commitments and ties back home that we will sometimes want to keep in touch with and revisit…furthermore, if you move abroad to live in a country where the weather is fine and the standard of living is good, it won’t be long before old friends and family members will want to come and visit you! Accessibility is an important consideration when looking at where to retire to therefore.

Other countries that British retirees favour all have a lower cost of living but decent infrastructure and services highlighting that the majority of us prefer a little comfort and stability in our lives at all stages of our lives – whether that means having access to decent health care services or just a reliable transport system and a stable government.

If you’re planning your retirement or you just want to take some time out and move abroad and be an expatriate for a while, think carefully about what’s important to you personally in terms of where you live – for example, do you need to be close to an airport, does fine weather mean more to you than a high standard of living, where can you afford to live, where would you like to live…and if you’re going to be travelling overseas with a spouse or additional family members, don’t forget to take their ideas and thoughts into account!

Rhiannon Williamson writes about living and working overseas and living life as an expatriate, to read more about starting a new life abroad visit her site http://www.shelteroffshore.com

The Silent Problem Facing Baby Boomers

We are all familiar with the alarming rise of Type 2 Diabetes facing today’s generation. But there is another health concern that is facing baby boomers that is not as heard about as much in the media … and that is hearing loss.

An estimated 28 million Americans suffer hearing loss. As baby boomers reach retirement age, that number is expected to nearly double by 2030. Currently, only one out of five persons who would benefit from wearing a hearing aid actually uses one.

Constant exposure to loud noise, or exposure to sudden, loud noises such as explosions or fire crackers, is known to create what is called noise induced hearing loss, which can be a permanent condition. The hair cells, nerve endings and inner ear structure can be damaged. Not only is hearing loss a potential risk from loud noise, but tinnitus can also occur. Tinnitus creates an irritating ringing, buzzing, or roaring sound in the ears or head.

Specialists are discovering that people in their 40s and 50s are showing symptoms of hearing loss that used to be attributed to people in their 60s and 70s. The culture of loud music is obviously a factor, but environmental and industrial factors are also taking their toll.

Police, medical specialists and fire fighters who constantly hear loud sirens are experiencing hearing problems. Construction and industrial workers who are exposed to the sounds of jackhammers, lawnmowers and machine noise exhibit hearing loss. Child care providers and pediatricians who hear loud screaming, crying and shouting from children on a regular basis are also at risk of a loss of hearing. Interestingly, even truck drivers eventually experience hearing loss in their left ear, the ear that faces traffic. While earplugs can help reduce risk of hear loss, the more immediate risk is that a worker wearing earplugs will not be able to hear what he or she needs to hear, such as alarms, verbal suggestions or warnings.

Unlike smoking or over eating which, when stopped, can reduce and reverse health risks, hearing loss is often permanent. According to Congressional testimony presented about Medicare benefits for hearing aids and devices, recognizing and treating hearing loss can mean the difference between dependence and independence. Children with hearing loss may lack the speech and language development skills necessary for their ability to interact with society. Seniors may find it difficult to talk with friends or family, listen to the television or radio, or hear an alarm.

Fortunately, there have been advances in hearing aids and medicine. The new digital hearing aids provide a much sharper, clearer sound than their analog predecessors. The top of the line hearing aids can cost up to $3,500. Lower end devices may cost a couple of hundred dollars.

Prevention is the best policy when it comes to hearing disabilities. If at all possible, reduce your exposure to constant noise. The iPod generation of today should turn down the volume a bit to listen to these warnings.

For more information about hearing loss and hearing aids, visit http://www.hearing-aide-directory.com The author of this article, Urbain C. Beck, is a freelance writer who contributes articles for a number of different websites, including the hearing aid directory.

Hello World!

Welcome to the new Baby Boomer Advisor Club.

We look forward to bringing you some great information, helpful hints, some laughs and memorable moments in 2007 and beyond.  Hopefully, we will have the foresight, hindsight and insight to look ahead and behind with laughter and determination.

Give me a little time to get things going and come back again real soon.

Smiles and world peace,
Sharon…

Your favorite Baby Boomer Queen
http://www.BabyBoomerAdvisorClub.com

PS/Check out the contact page and email me!

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