Once you reach a certain age, you begin to find out that your body is not what it used to be. In your 30s and 40s, you may begin to see a decline in your health, but it is once you reach your 50s and 60s that you truly begin to see changes in regards to how you feel or are diagnosed by your physician. As a retired mom, I have seen my fair share of health issues and below I will list the most common problems associated with old age.

 
Arthritis
A major health issue as you age is arthritis. This condition can lead to pain issues as well as problems in completing daily tasks. Some seniors can have arthritis so bad that they cannot use their hands. Arthritis can develop in many areas of the body but one of the most common is in the hands. Almost 50% of seniors over the age of 65 are affected by this condition.

 
Heart Disease
In both men and women, heart disease can be an issue that can be exacerbated by high blood pressure and cholesterol. These conditions can lead to heart problems or even a stroke. Men have a slightly higher risk than women to develop heart disease so eating well and exercising are important aspects to incorporate into your lifestyle once you reach a certain age.

 
Respiratory Issues
A major issue and one of the leading causes of death in the elderly is respiratory disease. Asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia are issues that can arise in the elderly that can be debilitating as well as life threatening to older individuals. Medication or oxygen may be required to assist with any of these issues.

 
Cancer
While cancer can affect the young, it is more prevalent in the elderly. Cancer can be caught early with screenings but older adults do not take the time to go to the physician, even if they know something is wrong. A skin check, colonoscopy or mammogram can help to find cancer before it has developed to irreversible stages. Treatment can be done but it is best to catch any signs of cancer early.

 
As you age, it is important to be health conscious. Go to the doctor. Have regular check-ups and physicals, taking care to eat healthy foods and exercise. Your hard work will be rewarded with a longer lifespan and better overall health.

Planning for retirement is a lot more difficult than planning your budget while still working. The main question is how long you will live and how much money will you need to cover for your future expenses (probably about 30 to 40 years more). For most people, this becomes a vicious cycle of procrastination, denial and spending as the years go by.  For those who are nearing the retirement age, and haven’t saved enough, it is time to make some drastic changes. You need a concrete plan as what you do will directly impact your retirement.

 
Drastically cut your expenses.
Being realistic about your lifestyle or changing it drastically can help improve your situation. A simple way of eating out less in a week will make a change. Spending less on the wants and more on the needs will make your savings worthwhile. It is never easy to slash off on spending once you have lived your life like so, but in the long run, making this change will make your life happier than not making an effort at all.

 
Downsize your house.
Downsizing can give you more money than you think. One idea is a sale-leaseback where you sell your property to your adult children and you on the other hand can rent it. It is a typical idea if you do not want to leave your house. Your last option can be reverse mortgage wherein you, as the homeowner, will not be required for monthly mortgage payments. Another idea is to rent out a room in your house. This could bring an extra income to you every month.

 
Simply work longer.
Working longer provides you with the additional budget you need if you haven’t saved enough. By working for another couple of years that the usual age of sixty could mean you have raised enough money to cover your expenses during retirement. Working twice and considering a second job can also work if you have figured you haven’t saved enough. You can use any kind of talent, skills and interests you may have in order to buffer for the funds that needs to be saved.

 
Get free from obligations and debts.
If you haven’t saved enough, you are probably spending too much. Work on paying your debts and obligations to maximize your efforts on saving for your retirement. This could be the scale on which you can say that you truly are ready for retirement.

With age comes wisdom. As we age, we learn how not to do certain things, which helps us to live better lives. However, we do make mistakes, no matter how old we are. One mistake that many senior citizens make is getting into debt at an older age. Once retirement age takes place, we instantly become aware of our free time. We take trips, go shopping and spend money that we really should be budgeting better. This means that we end up getting into debt, with no real way to pay it off.

 
Traveling
Who doesn’t want to travel, especially after retirement? Most individuals seem to want to travel once retirement rolls around. We look at this time in our lives as a way to see the world. But traveling takes money. Some seniors purchase RVs and will use this to travel while others fly and spend tons of money going here and there. It is important to be conscious of money spent, especially when traveling. Only go on trips when you can and try your best to save money on each trip. The less you spend means more will be left for your next excursion.

 
Shopping
With so much time on your hands it is easy to become bored. How do we get rid of boredom? We go shopping! Shopping is a great way to pass the time. We love buying items for children and grandchildren but as a retiree, the debt can easily build up. When shopping, be sure to set a budget. Avoid using credit cards so you do not spend more than you need to without a means to pay the amount back.

 
Avoid Major Purchases
This is a big one. Be sure you do not go out and buy a new car or home that you cannot afford. The point of retirement is to not owe any money, especially since you are no longer working. Find ways to make money to make such big purchases such as selling items you already have. You may even need to take on a part time job if you become in need of money for bigger purchases.
Overall, you must be strategic with your retirement. You need to learn how to spend less and live off of what you have. With no income coming in, you need to be able to survive off of less income. This means being smart with purchases, traveling and more.

Getting older has its perks. You get to retire from working and you get discounts when shopping! I love being retired but have seen many of my friends struggling with getting older. It seems once we hit thirty, we try to forget every birthday as we get closer to 40, 50 and then 60. Many people do not look forward to getting older, despite these being our ‘golden years’. It can be hard to see yourself transition from being young to being considered old. It is important for every individual to embrace old age and feel good about the many wonderful things that come along as we get older.

 
Let Go Of the Past
As we age, it can be easy to get distracted in what we used to be able to do. Perhaps you cannot move as quickly as you would like or you find yourself not being able to enjoy activities that you once did. This is normal but hard for many people to accept. Health can decline and we must learn to let go of the past. Embrace the future and what you can enjoy from it rather than focusing on what you are missing out on as you age.

 
Learn to Love Your New Life
Because your life will be different after retirement, you need to fully embrace it. It will be hard at first as you may easily become bored or find yourself missing your old lifestyle. Learn to love your new found freedom. Make new friends, go walking, enjoy the outdoors, and excel in new hobbies. You have all the time in the world to enjoy new things now! Take your time to find new ways to love your life now instead of becoming stuck, feeling like you are not who you used to be. Retirees can easily fall into a pattern where they feel useless or have nothing to do. Make yourself happy by enjoying new hobbies or finding new groups who share similar interests to spend time with.

 
Enjoy Sharing Your Wisdom
Because you are older, you have years of life experience. Share the wealth! Talk with younger people about your life experiences so they can learn from them. Talk about mistakes or what you might have done differently. You have lived these many years to be able to spread what you know to the world!
Getting older does not mean your life is over. It simply means you have had more years to enjoy it! Make the most of it!

There are several steps to retirement planning, most of which happened during your 30s and 40s. You begin to save money so you will be able to live comfortably when you do retire. However, a step that happens later in life is finding health insurance. In your late 50s and early 60s, it is time to begin searching for alternatives for health insurance. You want to be sure that you are covered to be able to deal with current medical conditions as well as anything that may happen along the way after you are no longer employed.

 
Retiree Medical Insurance
One option that can be available through your employer or your spouse’s employer is retiree medical insurance. Most do not offer this but you should inquire to see if the insurance type is available to you. If it is an option, check the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify and how much you would need to be paying for premiums. You may not be able to afford this option compared to others.

 
Semi-Retirement for Insurance
Another option is to go into semi-retirement and continue to work, but only part time. Your employer would need to offer insurance for part time employees, so this would allow you to be covered but to work less. Many companies will offer this option because they want knowledgeable employees who will continue to work.

 
Continuing with your provider after retiring
One of the most expensive options can be to continue to use the same provider after retiring. Many insurance companies allow you to keep your insurance but you will be paying full price. Most employers will cover a portion of the cost for your insurance as part of your employment. Once you are no longer working, you would be required to pay more. Plus insurance companies have high premiums when it comes to those who are no longer working. This is usually not an option that can be done but one to look into nonetheless.

 
Overall, it is important to do your research once you hit your 60s. You want to make sure you pay the least amount that you can but also be covered as you need to be. Without any coverage, you could owe huge amounts in medical bills when you add up doctor visits, hospital stays, surgeries or medications you require. Doing your homework will allow you to be covered and to pay less as you still have medical care after retirement.

Once we reach a certain age, we expect to retire from our position of employment and spend the rest of our years doing what we love. This could be retiring to a sunny area enjoying the beach and making new friends or finding time to spend with family members that just wasn’t there before. As a retired mom, I have found that being retired does have its ups and downs. While not having to work is great, there are aspects to being retired that are a total letdown.

 
Being Bored
I have found that I become bored quite easily. When I was working, I was to get up at a certain time and had somewhere to be. I worked for so many hours each day then rushed home to clean and prepare dinner, spending time with kids and family. Now that I do not have anywhere I have to be, I can spend my time cleaning the house and organizing things, but that only takes so long. I have plenty of extra time on my hands and have found that sometimes I cannot think of anything to fill that time with.

 
Alone
Just because I am not working does not mean family and friends are retired too. Those I would love to spend time with are busy with their own families or work. I often find myself with no one to spend time with so I am alone for the majority of the time. I do plan on going out and making new friends who are retired but have found that retirement often means you are by yourself, which then leads to even more boredom.

 
Less Money Than Before
When you stop working, you lose a source of income. For many people, retirement means that you have less money than before. Of course you can draw social security or have some type of retirement fund, but you do have to watch what you spend. This means you can’t just go out and do whatever you want. I have to be careful with my money since I do not have a steady stream coming in as I did when I was working. This being said, I often can’t go on trips or be able to go shopping like I would normally have done.

 
Learning to Live a Different Lifestyle
Going along with the less money category, I have to learn how to live my life differently. When I had money constantly coming in, I could go shopping, go to the movies, take a weekend trip, etc. Now that I am on retirement income, I have to watch what I spend. I have to live my life differently which has been a bit difficult. Many times, I would love to go shopping but just cannot spend the extra money. I have to budget everything I do so that I will have money to live off of for many years to come.

 
These are just a few of the downsides I have recognized when it comes to retirement. While many aspects are great, I do have realize that there are downsides to this new lifestyle.

When you have come to retirement stage and you have nothing to pull out of your wallet, you might be in an awful situation. Don’t get yourself into this catastrophe and secure your income while you still can. Here are effective tips you can do to protect your income or better yet expand it to use for an income source in the future.

 
Do not splurge.
Practicing self-control has to be tip number one. There is no other more effective way to save your money than to keep yourself on a budget most of the time. I once read a quote that says, “If you don’t spend your $2,000, it is just the same as earning $2,000″. Use conservative withdrawal rates at around 4% to 5% to limit your spending. With this, your retirement plan can last at least 30 to 40 years.

 
Create a financial plan.
This is not the time when you will be risky or reckless in your investments. This is the time where you will be turning your retirement money to an income source. Remember, we are talking about a retirement plan here. Do not get too conservative or aggressive when putting your money into a business venture. You need to think ahead on how your income would last up to 30 to 40 years more. Therefore, you need a right balance between risk and return during this stage. To give you a bird’s eye view of how your finances would grow, create a plan showing your bond, stocks, and investments according to your present finances, financial time limit, and risk tolerance.

 
Turn your savings into retirement income, or better yet become your own financial asset.

 
Learn more skills from your present craft or your job and become your own boss. This will give you more stability, freedom, and a stress-free retirement plan as you won’t have to rely solely on your savings. With your highly advanced skills and knowledge, a lot of people and companies would still be running after your service. In fact, they will be the one to be of great dependence on you. With this, you won’t have to work twice as much as you won’t have to tighten your belt too much trying to save.

 
Your retirement is meant to be fun and worry-free. There will always be better ways on how to secure your money during this stage and not being too overburdened by it. Follow these tips and you are sure to make financial independence in the future.

As a retired working mom who empathizes with all other moms out there, retirement is not as easy as it sounds. Let me share some things people don’t know about entering retirement.

 
Retirement can be expensive.

 
The common assumption that health care expenses will be fully taken care of once a person turns 65, is, unfortunately incorrect. Unless you save for health care, you will have to cash out for Medicare premiums. And that does not yet include Medigap, prescription medicine coverage, dental and hearing accessories, and other relative items excluded from insurance. An average Jane or Joe will have to cash out $240,000 for health care costs in retirement alone. Paying this overwhelming amount can be prevented simply by saving for health care early on. This long-term payment for health care insurance will break down this hefty amount into smaller installments.

 
Retiring to states with no- or low-income taxes is not always a good idea.

 
However enticing a no-income-tax state may appear, retirees beware. There’s most probably an ulterior motive and a hidden catch behind it. These states usually find shrewd ways to make up for the tax difference. More often than not, they have soaring sales and property taxes. Before you pack your bags, make sure to evaluate the cost of living in that area. Otherwise, your hard-earned, decades-old retirement money may get depleted in two years’ time without your knowing it. But worry not, thanks to free cost-of-living calculators online, you can compare prices of gas and groceries. These things, after all, need to be bought and paid for, retiree or not.

 
Retirement does not mean financial freedom.

 
One common mistake of excited retirees is overspending. It’s only common to let loose and go on a spending spree after decades of tightening your financial belt. However, this irresponsible spending will gradually exhaust your retirement funds way before your time is up. Control your excitement and spend wisely. Even if you’re retired, you may still have to follow a budget. The safest withdrawal rate is three to four percent.

 
Retirement does not necessarily mean unlimited rest, vacations and freedom from stress.

 
“Life is like a box of chocolates; you’ll never know what you’re going to get.” But this unpredictability is what makes an otherwise monotonous and predestined life more colorful and exciting. You don’t actually know what will happen next, no matter how much planning and scheduling you do.

 
As a working mom, I have ample experience on these planning and scheduling gone wrong. There have been multiple times when I feel caught in the middle of home life and office life. Should I go to the meeting with a potentially huge client or to my daughter’s very first dance recital? Difficult decisions like these are what bombard working moms like me on a daily basis.  And the sacrifices that come along with motherhood are endless. Even now that I have finally entered retirement and thought it would be so much easier, life’s unpredictability hit me again unexpectedly.

 
I thought retirement would be a walk in the park, but it’s really not. The emptiness and purposelessness creeps in every now and then. Keeping myself busy and occupied with all sorts of travel and leisure activities does help. But at the end of the day, I find myself missing my daily work routine and I somehow feel less productive. I guess that’s what all aging people experience and feel. Plus, I can no longer do the extreme stuff on my wish list ten years ago. Physical limitations made sure of that.

 
So here’s what you should ultimately know about retirement: The best thing about it is the unlimited time to spend with family. You can enjoy their company for the remainder of your days.

I know most people are thinking that retirement is awesome and that it is what everybody needs. Most people think that retirement would be like having nothing to do but bask in the sun at a luxurious beach resort somewhere in the Bahamas. Oh, the feeling of just relaxing and watching the sky fly over your head while you are sipping on an ice cold drink listening to the waves breaking on a sugar white beach. It is like a dream come true. Well, in fact, it is a dream and it is certainly not true.

 
Although you could probably do it for a week or two, but after that reality will set in. And what would that be? Boredom. This is what kills most retired senior citizen. It is the lack of activity with which we can participate in. It is a fact that we would like to do so many things, but the fact of the matter is that we can’t. We are too old for active sports, we get too tired easily and there are a lot of medical restrictions imposed on us by our doctors.

 
Despite all of these, we can still have fun and make our retirement worth it all. Here are some tips you should consider if you want to make good use of your retirement.

 
Make your dream come true
If you had planned something in your childhood or in your youth wherein due to some circumstances you were never able to make them come true, now is your chance to fulfill them and chase after your dreams. If you have dreamt of seeing the world then go ahead. Remember you are already retired. You are no longer attached to any major responsibility with your family, friends and society. If you want to see a country and experience their rich culture, food and atmosphere then so be it. Go and take the time to see want you have always wanted to see.

 
If you have dreamt of starting your own vegetable or flower garden, then go on ahead and make one. If you want to design and make your own clothes then be my guest. During these times keeping yourself busy is important. And because there is not much to do when you are older, chasing after your dream seems logical and worthwhile.

 
This is the best time to show how much people meant to you

When we were busy working we didn’t really have time to spend quality time with our loved ones. Although we understand that what we did was for their good as well, we never really took the time to enjoy each other’s company. Sit down relax, talk about our plans and dreams and what makes each and every one of us happy. Cook some food and share it with everybody. A time where we leave any misunderstanding behind and just have fun. It is a great getaway from our daily routine which can be very boring at times especially if we don’t go out often.

 
Last but not the least, this is the time wherein we can sit back and pray. Praying is the best thing that we can do to relieve ourselves of the stress that we have been through. It can help us feel lighter inside and will make things a lot easier. Try it, you’ll see.

I’ve always pictured myself and my husband lounging and tanning under the sun on a beach somewhere in the Pacific or Caribbean.  It seemed a pleasurable thought for me and I would sometimes find myself daydreaming about the idea.

 
My husband and I had a talk once when we were having dinner. I asked him why he doesn’t quit his job. We are already in what people would say the golden years.  I told him we don’t have to till the soil because we would get compensation from the government. He gave me a smirk and gave me several reasons why he still keeps working.

 
Keeps him physically fit and mentally healthy.
Isolation can be miserable and he was afraid of age-related ailments like dementia. When he is at work, he is able to mingle with a lot of people and it makes him feel younger.  I rolled my eyes with the thought. I told him he had a point.  He also mentioned that he loves his job. He has been a teacher for more than he could remember. He told me he was more fulfilled doing and being able to do something a day than just dozing off the whole day.

 
The value of money doesn’t own him anymore.
He wasn’t concerned about the income, it was simply something he loved doing and could not imagine himself not getting up and going to work. I adored him with his statement. He is more dedicated than some of the younger generations are.

 
He also mentioned that delaying his social security payments for a bigger monthly check once he decides to retire was his ideal way of making life more satisfying. Retirement funds can go quickly. It seems like his way of not running out of money when he direly needs it.  He said that the senior age groups highly need medical expense coverage and that not everything is covered by medical benefits.

 
The fear of losing value of his properties and investments.
He told me he was also afraid of losing the value of his investments considering the volatility of the stock market. He said he was afraid that with a bad performing market, we may take a dip in the housing market. He also said that he had the option of receiving his pension while still working. He said he could retire and be hired again all the while receiving the pension and adding the funds to his retirement account.

Small business owners have both less and more power to influence their customers than the big guys. Although they may not be able to compete with the big corporate names on a global scale, they sure can beat them in their local markets. No matter how big or small the business, the growing importance of online presence is now the one thing that separates those who will sink from those that will swim. This article is all about identifying the things you could be doing online to help your small business. Just one of these methods has the potential to boost your market share, so listen up.

Presenting Qualifying Information – When it comes to small businesses, customers need to know 3 things: who you are, whether you are located near them, and whether you can provide what they want. This information should always be presented in a simplified and mainstream fashion at the top of your page. If someone is searching for a flower store in Manhattan that can deliver, they will need to understand this within moments of visiting your website. A failure to achieve this is nothing less than giving customers away to competition.

Becoming and Remaining a Search Result – In addition to turning website visitors into customers, qualifying information is crucial to achieving search engine optimization. This is because any specific service information or place names that are not visible on your home page will likely cause you to be invisible when those keywords are searched. Be sure to summarize all of your coverage areas and searchable service terms at the top of the page, while keeping longer more detailed lists for the bottom of the page.

 Market Differentiation – Identifying who you are and what you do is necessary, but rarely is it enough. A search for “Reliable Expert Architect in New York” is going to yield thousands of results. Just saying that you are reliable is not going to differentiate you from the competition. The key is that you communicate a standard above that of the competition without necessarily saying it outright. It should be clear that you are the best choice from the way content is portrayed on your homepage. This is where a little technology can help.

Video Advertising – Small businesses have much to gain from the rise in online video production team marketing because it is cost efficient, quick, and flexible. A video can convey the superiority of a product or service in just seconds. If shoppers come across 10 websites all claiming to provide a similar thing, but only one has a video showing how to use it, they are most likely to choose that one because they will feel more familiar with what they are about to buy.

Network – Social media and online feedback websites have made potential customers more entitled to prompt and impressive online service. In order to keep up with demand, you’ll need to establish a presence on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter. This mean you can respond to both positive feedback and criticism, helping you improve your services while maintaining a strong network of clients.

Some of the best days of our lives are had during grade school. Running around the playground, playing with friends, and swinging from the monkey bars are all an important part of the learning process. The same thing can be said of the mishaps or difficulties a child will encounter during their time at school. These include anything from physical injury on the playground, to trials and failures in the classroom. As a parent, knowing what to expect when it comes to these mishaps will prepare your family to make the most of them. Here are five of the top common problems:

Off limits – Venturing away from school grounds will of course be against any school’s policy. However, the more curious amongst us may not be able to resist a solo field trip down the street. Be sure to talk to your child about what to do under any situation where they are lost. For example, tell them to get help from local shops or institutions, rather than strangers. Explain to them the importance of sticking with the group while on field trips, and avoiding the trouble and stress of losing them.

Bullying – Bullying is often a very corrosive problem for children because it can go undetected by teachers and parents. Look out for any unexplained reluctance to head to school in the morning. In all of its forms, bullying will leave a child less capable of focusing in their classes, more insecure, and overall less happy. Ask your child questions, reassuring them that there is nothing wrong with letting authority figures like a teacher know about it.

Rejection – Especially for those kids that are new to a school, rejection from their peers can have a huge influence on their emotional outlook. Children who are dealing with this emotion will benefit from positive reinforcement at home, from guidance, and other methods of boosting self-esteem. In fact, rejection can be the perfect way to help a child develop emotionally. Rather than worry about your child, focus on the positives of overcoming the challenge. This positivity from you will rub off on them in a powerful way.

Hygiene– School is a place where the hygienic lessons you have taught your child are put to the test. Children can easily forget to wash their hands, shower properly, and cover their cough. This leaves them vulnerable to short-term illness. Short-term illness is a major cause of missing school. The importance of this issue is self-explanatory, do you want your child to be remain healthy enough to not only attend but excel in class? Remember, if your child does get sick, take action sooner rather than later to avoid further complications and more days away from learning.

The dreaded head lice – If you’re a parent, you’ll probably receive the notorious phone call from school letting you know your child has lice. It happens all the time. Thankfully, it isn’t nearly as dangerous as it is annoying. The unexpected pick up from school, the special shampoos and combing. It’s a mini nightmare. You could always hire a local service, how we did with the Las Vegas local lice removal specialist To prevent your child from missing too much school, act quickly and attack the lice on all fronts. This means chemical shampoos, washing and drying their sheets and clothes, and of course combing their head until you know it is over.