Time vs. Money? How do you decide?

Depending on your life at this point in time, there are often choices of whether to spend a little more money for convenience -- thus saving time, or taking more time to do something -- thus saving money.

It's probably a daily conundrum for most of us, and there is never an easy answer. Even if you think you have found one, everything changes on you and you have to start over.

For us, as older adults, it means (probably) having a little more time to devote to doing things ourselves or taking the long way around town to find a bargain. It may even be fun to search out bargains and get the feeling that you won that particular battle.

It can even become a hobby of sorts. . . or not. One thing for sure, though, is that bragging about all the bargains you have taken advantage of  probably won't win you any brownie points with the members of the younger generation who don't have that kind of time. So keeping your bargains to yourself may be the better play.

Feeling lucky?

There's an odd thing going on this weekend, enough that it might mess with the space-time continuum, or at least with some people's plans. Friday is the 13th, a day considered unlucky by most, and Saturday is Valentine's Day, a day of love and declarations, many of which have to do with some degree of luck you could argue.

Opposites don't usually mix well, and I wondered how often this situation comes up. The trusty internet says that it has or will occur  four times between 2001 and 2028. Years where the 13th is a Friday in February are 2004, 2009, 2015 and 2026.

So which will you focus on? As Baby Boomers, I am guessing most of our attention will be on the hearts and flowers holiday, rather than the darker one. We are a positive group for the most part, and this is just another way to show it.

Start New Year off Right

Say "Sure" More

My new favorite word is sure. When someone asks me to do something, I say "sure". Go somewhere with them? "Sure."

At the holidays, my younger son wanted to bake cookies. Now we had a lot going on in those few days and it was really hectic here, the kitchen was already a mess, but I said "sure, let's do it."  Turned out to be great cookies too.

Now that certainly wasn't a world-changing decision, but I think as we get older it becomes easier and easier to say "no" to things. Things like driving into the nearby city, maybe taking in a show, going to a ballgame in a new-to-us stadium -- all in all stepping out of our comfort zones. I feel that Boomers have to be vigilant to not let "no"  or "not this time" become our words of choice.

Being open to new things and easy going once you get there are hallmarks of younger people. Why should they have all the fun?

Do something new and challenging this winter. If someone asks you to do something, say "sure" and get ready to enjoy yourself.

Another Great Use for Ziploc Bags

A friend of mine wrote the following comment for my blog entry (seen below) where I talked about a nifty way to keep your belongings organized when traveling to several places on one trip. Just in case you missed that, here are her words describing how she uses Ziploc bags to keep her luggage neat, which often seems an impossible task. Not anymore!

L writes: I use plastic bags, too, but a little differently if I have several destinations to my trip. I put all the underwear and socks for each stop in separate bags, label them by city and then just unpack each bag as I need it. I hate having my suitcase out and open in the hotel room so this lets me put just what I need in the drawers and leave the rest packed away for the next city. 

Great idea!

Quick Travel Tip

Planning a short or long trip? Here's a quick tip to help keep your suitcase better organized.

Place your underwear, socks, scarves into large ziploc bags, one for each type of clothing. (I found two gallon-sized bags at a local box store, and these work well). Putting all of your socks in one bag and so on allows you to easily toss the bag into a drawer when you unpack or keep things neater when you have to live out of that suitcase for a while.

Also, with a quick glance, you can tell whether you have enough clean things to last the trip or if you have to drag out the Woolite or other soap you brought to rinse things out with.

(Note: I have had a lot of trouble keeping Woolite inside the small plastic jar I use to transport it in my suitcase. I am not sure why, but it always leaks. I put the jar inside a couple of ziploc bags but it still leaked inside them. Could have been a disaster, really. I know there are other products out there for hotel room laundry day so I might have to do some research).

Any suggestions?

Bye, Bye Hummingbirds

I love fall, but there comes a day when I am really not happy that the season is starting. That's the day when I realize that my hummingbird visitors who have been coming to my deck for four months to feed have decided to head south for the winter. Today is September 16 and I am resigned to the fact that I will not see a hummingbird for the next eight months.

We had one female who came to the feeder all summer long after somehow dissuading a male hummer to back off. She has been gone for a while now I think. Even though I have seen a couple of birds  this past week, I know they are travelers who are stopping by for a quick meal on their way from further north to the warmer south.

How these tiny puffs of color manage to fly from here to Central America and return to the same breeding grounds each year is beyond me.That's why it is such a miracle to see them in the spring. Can't wait.

Healthy Fish Dishes Good for Brain

Wondering what to have for dinner tonight? Try a little fish prepared in a healthy way.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that eating baked or broiled fish once a week is very good for the brain.

This is another instance where scientific studies have shown that lifestyle factors can contribute to a healthy brain later in life. Other studies have predicted that being active, not smoking and keeping weight at a healthy level all contribute to fewer cases of Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive impairment in older adults. All good news since these are choices most of us can make.

The results of the  study were published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.