Month: June 2022

Retired me is looking for every possible way to save money. So now I am trying to break into the secret world of the super shopper.  Many super shoppers are already aware of some of the following tips I’m discovering, but it is all brand new to me.  With more time on my hands, and a big incentive to stretch my dollars, I am researching this shopping/saving in earnest, and finding it fascinating. 

The big box stores like Sam’s Club, Costco, or Smart and Final are looking much better as I try to maximize my money.  Though these stores automatically offers some savings, here are ways for even better savings when shopping there.

Go in with a friend to split the costs. 

My friend and I buy bulk items such as toilet paper or paper towels together, for instance, then split the cost of an already reduced product. Splitting the cost of a bulk item like this also helps with splitting the storage of it too. Not everyone has a garage or space for huge bundles of paper towels, toilet paper, or napkins!

It is best to write a shopping list and stick to it.

Do not be an impulse buyer– it will gobble up the savings you seek. All stores are arranged quite deliberately (to maximize their profits). Super shoppers say it is best to go directly to the center or back of the store, and work your way forward along the aisles.  Those showy Point Of Purchase (POP) displays are usually up front. POP displays are designed to tempt consumers into distracted- and more expensive- buying. Bypass this common trap by choosing a different shopping route, and stick to your list.

No Dawdling Allowed!

Stores know that statistically the longer you are in the store, the more you tend to buy- so do not dawdle. It may be fun to spend a lot of time exploring, but be mindful about it. Maybe you should set a time frame of how long you plan to shop, so as not to become part of that overspending statistic.

Look for the secret codes.

Most Costco prices end in $.99, $.49 and so forth, and those are usually regular priced items. Costco super shoppers know to look for the $.97 marking indicating a mark-down. Do not necessarily rush to purchase that $.97 marked item if there is a large inventory that might lead to a lower price later though!

Also Costco super shoppers know that if there is an asterisk on the price tag in the upper right corner of the sign, that item will not be restocked. This may be your Costco clue to buy it while you can.  Instant Rebates, Energy Rebates, or Manufacturers Instant Rebates on Costco items are worth looking for as well (Rapoport,Len. May 6, 2020- https://www.toughnickel.com/frugal-living/Secret-price-codes-that-will-save-you-money-at-costco).

Costco price tags that end in .49, .89 or .79 indicate that they are special promotional offers straight from the manufacturer. If you like those items, snap them up while you can! (https://www.popsugar.com/family/Costco-Price-Tag-Meaings-46334250.)

Sam’s Club has codes too- a yellow price tag at Sam’s means the product is always in stock and will not go on sale. A price tag at Sam’s ending in a penny (e.g. $.91) means it is not just on sale but a clearance item. Sam’s also has store labels with letter codes in the lower left next to the product number code. There are five- N (Never Out), A (Active), C (Clearance), S (Seasonal), and O (One Time Buy). These clues can help you decide if or when you should buy an item.

By the way, other stores besides the big box stores also have their shopping codes. Yellow tags at Walmart indicate items at their markdown limit that likely won’t drop further. $.99 indicates full-price, prices ending in .93 are clearance and marked down from original price. 

Get savings with a store’s credit card.

I have not tapped into this savings trick yet, but will soon, just based on the astounding rising gas prices. Costco for instance has their own Visa card (Costco Anywhere Visa card by Citi), and you can get 4% cash back on gas at Costco for the first $7000 per year, and then 1% after that- plus 2% back on all Costco purchases, in-store or online. Sam’s Club has their own gas credit card too- Mastercard by Synchrony Bank. That card give 5% cash back on the first $6000 in fuel per year, then 1% afterwards, plus 1%-3% cash back on dining and other purchases. 

Be patient with your shopping. 

All stores try to lure you in with a “sale” so it truly pays to avoid impulsive buying.  Some deals are just not for you, no matter how good they are. But if you are positive that an item is for you, you can still spend smart. Check that item’s price code to get some insight. (For instance, does it have that tell-tale asterisk showing it will not be restocked when it runs out? Or is it a regular priced item with a huge inventory of stock?) You can use such clues to pace your spending. It may be possible for you to return and buy that item later, when your budget can better handle it.

So armed with some of these tips, I am going to explore the box stores with a new eye.  We will see if I can join the ranks of skillful super shoppers who know how to stretch a dollar and SAVE, SAVE, SAVE.

Thoughts>Feelings>Actions

I personally am striving to incorporate the Latin principle “Cogito, ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am) less as a philosophical proof of existence. I want this motto instead to be my way to achieve better thinking. It is really more like- As I think, therefore I am. My thoughts, good or bad, come first. My thoughts order my feelings, and then my actions. I must recognize my thoughts, and make literal thoughtful changes (regarding my ongoing retirement and aging).

Thoughtfully Choose Thoughts

I am striving to choose my thoughts wisely- truthful and positive ones. In Christianity, this process is not just some choice I merely make in my own human strength-and then I must struggle to accomplish with my own human energy. No, I believe as a Christian that this process is part of being renewed in the spirit of your mind (thoughts and attitudes). This process is spoken about in Ephesians 4:23. (“…to be made new in the attitude of your minds…”). God spiritually empowers and changes the thinking of His followers as we let him. 

I Battle Depression

Particularly during covid isolation, I fought depression and struggled to maintain my emotional positivity. My faith was instrumental in this- knowing that my life has many purposes kept me emotionally grounded. I am aware of some of these purposes, and some purposes are unfolding and being revealed to me over time. And as I have said previously, during covid, I watched the amount of time I spent on TV, internet and social media- so as not to indulge in too much criticism, negativity, and pessimism. Toxic subject matter leads ultimately to toxic thinking- impacting life, health, sleep, and relationships.

“The More That You Learn, The More Places You’ll Go” (Dr. Seuss)

I also continue to keep reading- to keep sharp, to learn, to get new ideas and positive perspectives. No weird dark fantasies or horror books for me right now- I need a more hopeful thoughtful perspective on life. Though I must confess here that I cannot abandon my beloved science fiction author Ray Bradbury. I am still re-reading his “The Martian Chronicles” and “Fahrenheit 451” with great joy.

I Keep Laughing

Humor books are my dependable go-to- there’s truth in them, along with some wit and laughter (e.g. books by Dave Barry or Erma Bombeck). I can now thoroughly relate to Dave Barry’s age-related books about turning 50 or 60 (e.g. “Dave Barry Turns Fifty”). His “Lessons From Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog” illustrate that a critter can deal with old age much better than many supposedly smarter humans.

I Keep Solving

Then there’s my fave New Mexico mysteries by Tony Hillerman and his daughter Anne- they transport me to a land of desert enigmas.  Classic Queen of Crime Agatha Christie is back on my list, inspired by recently seeing the movie of her book “Death on the Nile”.  Histories such as US travel tale “On the Road with Charles Kuralt” or US history of the West “Blood and Thunder” by Hampton Sides fill in when I need some non-fiction. 

The New Stage

Furthermore, there are so many books on my list that sound interesting for my new stage of life! One such book is “Somewhere Towards the End” by British author Diana Athill.  I hear that she provided clear-sighted views of her aging journey (which was a long one, as she lived to 101). “The Art of Growing Old: Aging With Grace” by psychotherapist Marie de Hennezel is on my reading list too… There are many others as well- so many books, so little time.

“Without libraries…we have no past and no future.” (Ray Bradbury)

I found it sad that most public libraries were shuttered due to covid. This was when we all needed the input found in good books the most! Of course, you could still order library books online and pick them up remotely out front. But this distant processing does not fully substitute for the wonderful freedom of perusing library shelves inside an actual brick-and-mortar library building.  There a searcher can find unanticipated reading treasures, or stumble into unexpected research directions with some newly-discovered topic. Inspiration and knowledge always await inside a library. 

Back to Thoughts>Feelings>Actions

But back to the betterment process in my thinking. (As) I think, therefore I am…changing. 

I once heard someone joke, “If I’d known how long I was going to live, I would have taken better care of myself!”

That is so true. Now that retired me has much more down time, I’m in the process of developing awareness of my physical well-being and health. Throughout most of my life, I took my health and physicality for granted. Thankfully, I was healthy overall, mostly sensible, did not smoke or abuse substances, generally exercised regularly, etc.

“No one on their deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office…'”

Looking back, there was one key way in which I certainly could have improved on my health.  This involved my work schedule (with its ever-changing shift work). Add in personal, home and kid-related requirements to that schedule, and something had to give. In my case, it was my sleep. I am sure prolonged unhealthy sleep has had negative physical repercussions that retired me is starting to realize now. Work/life balance was not such a concept back then. I wish I had incorporated this current great idea into my earlier life.

“Sleep, the main course in life’s feast…” (Shakespeare’s Macbeth)

Based on Macbeth’s description, many people are neglecting that main course of life’s feast- and starving. I am not the only person that has ever been sleep-starved. I have read that sleep deprivation (getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night) has been going up steadily among American adults. Sleep depravation can make those individuals more prone to obesity, heart disease, stroke, mental health problems or anxiety. Just a quick look at https://www.cdc.gov. (and their sleep links) reveal insights into the health importance of enough good sleep. I no longer have a full-time job with unhealthy alternating time demands. This is leading me to more positive sleep patterns. What a great side effect of retirement! 

If You Don’t Listen To Your Body, Who Will?

Like many others, retired me is also starting to deal with other health issues. I think that my health is not necessarily changing expressly due to aging (although aging does have its impacts).  But when my life was filled with the demands of family, growing children, and a full-time job, I had less time to listen to my body. Now I have more time, and my body seems to be “talking” to me to make up for that lost time. I am listening now, and taking some actions. I believe these steps will lead to a better state of health, arthritis and all. 

Oldvertising (“It’s Fallen and It Can’t Get Up!”)

I know that some marketing focus on senior health is inevitable. But really, horrible “oldvertising” is what I cannot escape anymore. Most marketing to seniors is awful. A senior dealing with health problems and bathtubs that kill is the obvious stereotype when watching any TV show that targets an older demographic. That program’s time slot will be filled with endless commercials addressing vision problems, brain health, gas and bloating, incontinence, arthritis, shingles, dentures, and mobility devices. 

Additionally, there are multiple ads about lurking illnesses of which I have never heard. However I, as an aging senior, must urgently, immediately, aggressively address these.  These ads urge me to “Talk to your doctor about…(bubonic plague or whatever).” Firstly, they make it seem as if establishing some chatty appointment with my doctor is an easy accomplishment (have THEY tried making a medical appointment lately?) Secondly, of course chatting up the good doctor with profound deep discussions about my cholestatic pruritus should be my all-encompassing life goal. Most oldvertising makes the “lighter” ads for home security or reverse mortgages positively engaging.

Awake, Oh Marketers!

The US Census Bureau projects that by 2035 there will be more older adults in the population than children for the first time in history. Companies and marketers need to keep this growing senior power in mind. There are a few occasional brands that do offer some solid less-stereotypical marketing to seniors. (Take some recent Covergirl ads, for instance). But usually, when I watch any TV programs interspersed with ads for hot cars, beer, slick phones, or designer item shopping sprees, I know that the marketing world does not intend that show or those products for retired me. 

By the way, my knee is hurting and I must sit down and ice it. Is is time to watch “Jeopardy” now?

That old garage rock song by the Outsiders famously proclaimed that “Time Won’t Let Me.” Newly retired me has been singing it lately. I vaguely remember that the song was about an impatient young man not wanting to wait forever for his love. But that key refrain about time is now in my head, in an opposite context though. My new phase of life is where time WILL let me do lots of things.  When I worked 40 hour work weeks, time was dictated by shifts, days off, and vacations.  Not anymore…

Retirement has forced me to reassess my approach to time. Retirement creates a new time definition.  Without having employment time dictates, how do I fill my daily expanse of time? I slow down, make a new schedule, volunteer, start new projects, get a different harmony.  I am becoming more aware of my neighborhood activities, noticing animals and birds around me in the garden and on my walks. Weather even has its own fascinating TV channel to watch. This is something I previously would have passed by as too boring and not very relevant.

Step Away From the Media

When retirement first happened to me, I spiraled into a depressing overload of TV and internet.  I had to reset that habit pretty quickly. Some of the weird covid environment I was in contributed to this-  everyone was trying to understand what was happening with the pandemic  (most importantly when it was ending!!) Watching television news or internet-surfing was an immediate reaction to find some answers.

Technology overload finally convinced retired me that doing too much TV and internet was not going to speed covid’s departure. Additionally spending too much of my newly discovered retirement time mostly on TV and internet was not healthy. It was giving me less in the way of answers, and more anxiety and depression, over things I neither fully understood nor could change. 

So the best perk about retirement is the abundance of time on your hands. Unlike in the song, time will now let you do lots. Choosing to use your time well is the trick.

I love to find bargains other than dining ones too. For instance, AARP has discounts or information where I can get a percentage off of my shopping.  AARP does have a yearly fee for membership (there’s a current limited time offer of $9/year right now). Even on a tight budget the AARP membership may pay for itself in savings.

 I am finding that there are special days to shop and save. For example, there is 15% off each Tuesday at Goodwill and 15% off purchases at Kohl’s on Wednesdays. There are various senior discounts on different days at Ross, Walgreens, Joannes, Michaels, Lowes, etc. as well. Plus there are senior passes for the movies and Ticketmaster for instance. A little researching is needed to find these discount options, but the savings are worth it. Getting older can have its perks. You just have to figure where you shop/spend and find any bargains in your area for that. 

Internet Leads for Savings

Along with the senior-specific AARP website and publication to study, there are also general coupon sites for people to save (not just seniors).  Now that retired me has more time, I can utilize my schedule to full advantage. I have discovered Savings.com, Swagbucks.com, BeFrugal.com  among others. These are just some of the cash back and coupon sites to research. You have to read the fine print and reviews of course. Prioritize what items you want to allot for your budget. Cash back for buying designer clothes may not be in your budget, but deals on home decor items may be.  

Plus my thriftbooks.com has multiple reading options for saving tips that look interesting.  There are “The Best Free Things for Seniors” by Linda and Bob Kalian, or Geoff Tibballs “The Seniors’ Survival Guide: New Tricks For Old Dogs.”  

Being retired is a game of sorts. I am trying to learn how to maintain as much of my previous working lifestyle as possible on a very fixed income.  

In one old Seinfeld TV show episode, on a visit to Florida, Jerry Seinfeld learned a hard lesson. It was to not resist his retiree parents’ habit of early-bird dining to get a discount.  Discount or not, Jerry refused to eat so early. By bucking his parents’ lifestyle, he and his parents ended up with unexpected complications. (It only happens that way on a TV show of course!) 

“Hunger will make people do amazing things. I mean, the proof is cannibalism.” (Jerry Seinfeld)

Hunger has not driven me THAT far, but I am apparently turning into Jerry’s parents. Like them, retired me now has a quest to find those dining bargains also. In addition, as covid restrictions lift, I find going out to eat has gained more significance. Eating out-scarce during lockdowns- is now even more of a treat.

But back to the bargains… Thankfully there are some reasonable dining bargains out there. AARP has lists of participating restaurant/fast food discounts. These range from IHOP, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Corner Bakery, Rainforest Cafe, McDonalds to Fisherman’s Wharf, Denny’s, Dairy Queen, or Sonic.  Lists change, so check (https://www.aarp.org/membership/diningbenefits.) or call the place to see if they still participate. 

Calories Don’t Count When Couponing

Other dining coupons are available in the newspaper (remember those things called newspapers- retired folk do?!) Or other good bargain dining options can be found in those mailers that come with the junk mail, with offers for local restaurants. It is good to look for those local dining bargains. It can help support your local dining establishments that struggled along with you through the pandemic.

Keep Your Coupons Close, and Your Couponing Friends Even Closer

Searching for dining bargains often forces a person to be social, since most coupons are set up to work for two or more. Even though one could grumble that the coupon world favors a “couple’s world,” doubling up for dining bargains can be a good thing. A social network of friends and family is particularly crucial for a retiree’s (or anyone’s) mental health. Using that dining coupon to socialize over food can be a well-being win-win.

So the Seinfelds and I look for those dinner discounts. And if some restaurant near me offered an early bird discount at 3pm, I’d probably go!

Being retired and not re-employed (yet) has me analyzing my sense of worth. Right or wrong, in our society, a paycheck/job often equates literal worth. Many retirees report experiencing a new lack of status now that they have no job or reduced money. I struggle with these new perceptions of reduced worth as well. So before I get practical reconfiguring my lifestyle and budget, I take a look at some origins of my own worth.

It reminds me of the times when I was a stay-at-home mom with young children.  As a young mom back then, at-home employment did not seem valued much in our society.  My at-home job was hard for people to classify-and not deemed particularly crucial. Stay-at-home work consisted of those mundane “unimportant” activities- cooking, cleaning, doing errands, carpooling, and keeping curious toddlers educated, amused and away from self-destruction.

I Was Even A Baby-proofing Failure!

My toddler son used to bring me all the outlet plug covers with which I had carefully baby-proofed the house’s outlets. His methodical diligent removal of these plug covers just reinforced my feelings of irrelevance.  (I was a baby proofing failure!) True relevance seemed to be in money earned, and a paycheck was much more important than stay-at-home duties.  Incorrectly, that was how I felt sometimes back then. Retirement “status” causes inadequate feelings like these to still crop up now.

I reiterate healthy thinking- My worth is not my income. It was not then, and it is not now. In retirement, I also have the advantage of hindsight, something I did not as a young mom. I have accomplished some things over my years that I had not yet achieved then. Maybe those achievements can help me make more empowered decisions as I work out my life during my retirement phase.

Who Is Really Essential?

By the way, I thought covid revealed some hard truths about work and value in our consumeristic society. During covid times, who were the most “essential workers” among us? Ironically, they turned out to be those that did the most mundane, hands-on service jobs. Cooks and cleaners, grocery store personnel, delivery people, all became essential workers as we were shuttered in by the pandemic. Teachers and child care workers gained new respect as harried parents struggled to take over those child-rearing duties.

The paychecks of these essential workers mostly do not reflect the great importance that these workers truly have. Nor do they indicate the important role these essential workers assumed during strange covid times. That does say something about how our society has set up its priorities and rankings. I think these are values about due for change.

AD to AR 

My pastor likes to say that there was an event in history- Jesus’ birth- that split the world calendar between BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domino “in the year of the Lord”).  However I now have a new personal delineation of my life’s passage through time.  My calendar has gone from AD to AR- After Retirement. 

It is this new change that I now chronicle.  My AR (After Retirement)- began in 2020. It was a time initially marked by the global impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.  The onset of the covid 19 epidemic actually was the catalyst that caused my struggling airline employer to offer retirement packages in the first place.  The economy was in covid tatters, and my airline was struggling to stay alive when their flight schedules plummeted to near nothing with drastically diminished customers.  Twenty percent of their workforce- 18,000 employees- took the package deal they offered. So I joined with the other departing workers- becoming anonymous departing employee number 7,892 (or maybe it was departing employee 16,340?)- and became an officially retired person.

So 2020 became my AR (after retirement) year.  AR split my personal calendar into two parts forever, just like the BC to AD time designations did for the world. 2020 AR.

MyAR (After Retirement) journey began with facing the stark reality that my income is now very fixed, and vulnerable to any unexpected changes or increased living expenses. Since I live in the highly expensive state of California, rising living expenses are a given.  So are unexpected factors such as car repairs, medical or dental expenses, increased food costs, etc. My new fixed AR budget was a new scary reality. 

According to AARP (American Association of Retired People) a good retirement income is about 80 percent of your pre-tax income prior to you leaving your workplace (https://www.annuity.org/retirement/planning/average-retirement-income/). The eighty percent number factors in not having to pay income tax, or paying for other job-related expenses.  It does NOT factor in things such as cost of living in your area, everyday expenses, potential healthcare costs, and the lifestyle you desire. People often retire with a 401k, or a pension, or other investment sources, or some combination thereof. But many in the US are dealing with a retirement income that is nowhere close enough to 80% of any previous working income.

It is estimated that 36% of Americans now believe they will NEVER have enough money to retire, and roughly 41% say that their ability to be financially secure in retirement will take a MIRACLE (this according to the annual GRI-Global Retirement Index).  In 2019, an alarming 22% of American adults were found to have less than $5000 in savings for retirement, with 46% saying they have no idea how much they have even saved at all. 

Talk about bleak stuff. I am not the only one dealing with “inadequate retirement income syndrome.”  This After Retirement life journey is going to be a creative one, to say the least.