Sunday, May 29, 2016

MEMORIAL DAY MESSAGE

I have always found it strange to wish someone a Happy Memorial Day and I can never bring myself to say those words.  Yes, we all look forward to the first long weekend that marks the unofficial beginning of summer and the first barbecue of the season, picnic, trip to the lake... or the Indy 500.  But, while all of those things make Memorial Day weekend a fun time, we need to remember the real meaning of Memorial Day.  As we enjoy time with family and friends, let us be sure to take time to honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we cherish.  
 


As we remember those who died in service to our country, let us give thanks to those who are serving now and to all our Veterans for their past service to our country.

Support Our Troops's photo. 




Thursday, May 12, 2016

Rental Costs Eat Up 70% of Your Income in These Locations

Source:  National Association of REALTORS®
REALTORMag
Daily Real Estate News | Thursday, May 12, 2016  


Here are 10 popular cities ranked from highest to lowest in terms of the percentage of starting monthly income that goes towards rent:
  1. San Francisco: 79%
  2. New York City: 77%
  3. Los Angeles: 61%
  4. Boston: 56%
  5. Seattle: 51%
  6. Chicago: 47%
  7. Orlando: 44%
  8. Atlanta: 36%
  9. Austin: 36%
  10. Houston: 29%

Read the entire article HERE.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Cell Phones for Seniors

While on Facebook today I saw an ad for cell phones for seniors... curiosity got the best of me and I clicked on it.  It is a site called "Social Choice" and in this article they present a questionnaire about your cell phone usage that would lead you to the best choice for your particular needs.  Of course there were ads embedded in the article for various phones and services, but, if you overlook those and just read the article and answer the questions, you get to the information that you really want.  I was told to check out the "Jitterbug."  That won't be happening anytime soon, as I love my iPhone and am quite happy with my Verizon service.  But, for those who have less demanding needs than I do, the Jitterbug might be a good choice.  I must confess that I didn't retake the questionnaire, so I don't know what other options they suggest, but, if you're a senior with minimal cell phone needs, I'd recommend answering the questions and seeing what is suggested for you.

I would also recommend that, no matter what service your are currently using, you call your provider and see what they can recommend for you.  Their offerings change and what worked for you 6 months ago might not the best for you now.  I recently changed my Verizon plan to something called "Small Plan" which includes unlimited talk and text, 1 gig of data, and "hot spot" availability (allowing me to use my phone as wi-fi connection for my computer).  For security reasons, I try not to use public wi-fi (especially in airports and hotels), so the "hot spot" allows me to have my own personal wi-fi.  Doing so uses up phone data, but it hasn't been an issue for me.  Anyway, the plan is relatively inexpensive (under $80) and includes my husband's phone (a flip phone which he says he's never getting rid of).

http://socialchoice.com/g/seniorphoneplans/?ss=best%20cell%20phones&c=8776&nr=3&pagetitle=Top%203%20Senior%20Cell%20Phone%20Plans&adsource=3&fref=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZmFjZWJvb2suY29t&yc=2203b_fc7