Ideas to help save

I don’t know if you had this program growing up, but I did. In elementary school, we had a program where we could open up a bank account and deposit a weekly amount. I think it started when I was in grade 5 and lasted through grade 6. I did not continue it when I went off to grade 7 but some did. It was a program designed to get us to think about saving for the future and it worked for many. If I had the opportunity again, I would save more at a younger rate. 

If you have young men and women in your life, and want to give them some advice. My suggestion is start saving as young as you can, and use some sort of automatic deduction plan. You can set up a savings plan or a retirement savings plan and have an amount automatically withdrawn every month, so you don’t have to think about savings. Men have an advantage for saving for retirement because we earn more and work longer. If we lived in a world where women had pay equity, and they didn’t have to take time out of work for family, the challenges for women wouldn’t be quite so daunting. Since this is not yet a reality, here are some more ideas on how women can save more, given the unfairness of the system.

Women need to develop and build their own financial independence. Today’s life stages are far more complicated now than it was when I was young. The odds are that you will not be in the same relationship you started in your 20’s or 30’s when you reach your 60’s. If you get to retirement in the same relationship, you started years ago that’s a rare occurrence. Irrespective of your relationships in the future, it’s so important to have your own personal long-term financial objectives. Start to think about having a personal financial strategy that weathers the odd relationship break up as you plan for your retirement.

Get advice to help you invest. Women don’t have as much money to invest but there is good advice out there. The access of affordable professional advice, specifically tailored to meet women’s needs and circumstances is not widely available but there are resources. Digital advice and tools can help, but they are not the answer for everyone. The value of advice is very hard to measure and, in most cases, only time will tell how good it was. Those who have received advice are most likely better off than those who don’t. Each person who reaches retirement in good shape means they won’t need extra government support and there would be more money to help those who can’t. How cool would that be?

The mosquitos are here

We are having a particularly bad year for mosquitos. This is due to a heavier than normal spring rainfall, and a latter than normal return to warmer weather. This has left the area open to the breeding of these pesky insects. I am lucky in that these pests do not like me so I get off easier than my friends and family when these are biting.

If you do not like commercial products, mosquito and small fly bites can be treated for minor swelling and itching by using a number of natural methods. If you have tea bags in the house, you can make a cup of tea and remove the bag to cool. Once the tea bag is cool enough to place it on the arm, let it sit for approximately 10-15 minutes to draw out any fluid associated with the bite.

Tea tree oil is another effective method to treat bug bites, and this should be used if it is possible for the bite to become infected. It is a triple threat in that it also relieves the pain and itching associated with a bite like those issued by horse flies.

We hear a lot of the uses of coconut oil in terms of healthy eating, yet it can also be used to treat bug bites. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties and can help reduce the itchy feeling associated with bug bites. Coating a bite with coconut oil will help keep dirt and dust from infecting any open bug bite and it can be applied just like a sun screen.

A good night's sleep

 One of the most popular workshops is on “How to get a good night's sleep”. Many seniors suffer from insomnia. Having insomnia can cause other issues as a person is deprived of the deep restful sleep needed. Once insomnia has been experienced, the best thing to do is address it quickly. However, many people self-diagnose, which is a mistake. Always check with your doctor if you are having problems with your sleep.

Here are some ideas that may help you move towards having good sleep hygiene which may allow you to sleep better.

Saying a mantra once the head hits the pillow, has been shown to be very effective. The simple mantra used in yoga is, “Om” Using the phrase Om repeatedly, does work for some people. As it is the only phrase repeated, it induces deep peace within the body, allowing it to drift off.

Many people prefer to come up with their own mantra, which has a deep meaning to them. Frequently they will journal their thoughts and narrow phrases down until finding the perfect one for their needs. An example of a personal mantra would be, “I am safe while drifting amongst the warmth and light.” Along with the mantra, music very low in the background is helpful for inducing sleep. The type of music used, should be something along the lines of Gregorian chanting. The repetitive nature of the music has a hypnotizing quality to it.

Making your own healing tea can be an enjoyable time, as you learn what mixtures work best for you. Even making tea just for general enjoyment, can turn into a bit of a hobby with…different pots, cups and special tea bags to fill with your choices. Herbal teas can certainly help with bouts of sleepless nights.

Magnesium helps your tense muscles to relax and has also been shown to combat stress. Both these issues can contribute to sleepless nights. Magnesium can be introduced several ways. Having a warm bath before sleep is always good and why not try adding magnesium flakes to the bathwater. Your skin can absorb the magnesium and get it into the blood stream. The other method to try is magnesium in capsule form. Make sure to read the prescribed dosages for males and females…as it differs.

If your natural melatonin production is off, it could be causing issues with your sleep. Melatonin is what the brain releases when we settle down for sleep and the variety of sleep stages we go through. When using melatonin capsules, take the lowest amount possible at first and watch for side effects before increasing the dosage. Taking melatonin can cause dizziness or headaches if the dosage is too high.

 

Sea gulls and crows

I was reading  A Retirement Blog about being "mugged in broad daylight by a winged predator (a seagull) and was reminded of the many times I and my friends have been "mugged" by these birds.

Growing up on the coast I am used to seagulls being around and seeing them as scavengers, keeping our beaches clean of dead shellfish and other creatures that drift onto the shore. 

In Caree's blog post she had her food taken when she was sitting next to it. The gulls in our area are not as brave, they lurk just outside of range and wait. They will wait and watch, sometimes parading up and down in front of you pretending that they are not interested in the food you are eating or carrying. Best not move too far away from the food, because when you do, they swoop in and are gone in a flash with your food.

Over the years I have had many sandwiches taken by these sneaky birds. Crows are also birds that can and do steal food if you do not pay attention.  We were golfing about 40 miles outside of Vancouver and one of my friends bought a sandwich. It was his turn to hit and so he placed the sandwich on the seat of the golf cart and walked over to his ball. My ball was a bit in front so I was waiting for him to hit. He did and walked back to his cart, and said, "Where's my sandwich?" I looked over and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a seagull with his sandwich in its beak flying towards the nearest tree with a seagull in fast pursuit. I laughed and pointed, and my friend, who normally does not swear, let out a number of curse words that would make a baby blush.  

Crows and Seagulls are very smart scavengers and they can cause havoc wherever they go, so if you are thinking of picnicking on a beach or just having a sandwich in the park, always keep an eye out for these birds as they can ruin your day or at least your lunch.