Joan’s Boomer Blog

You want to retire. How confident are you that you’ll have a comfortable retirement lifestyle? Recently, the Insured Retirement Institute found that only 36 percent of baby boomers are feeling confident they will have a comfortable retirement and 64 percent believe they will need to take a post-retirement job.

This blog post covers more recent statistics on retirement and offers eight tips to help prepare for retirement, no matter what your age.

Many people go through their earlier years in life without giving much thought to retirement and what their future might hold. But as we get older, we realize we need a financial retirement plan in place or we face uncertainty in our ability to live comfortably once we leave the workplace.

Are you among the baby boomers who believe you’ll have to take a post-retirement job because you’ll need additional income to live comfortably?

A recent survey of U.S. employers also showed they lacked confidence in their employees’ readiness to retire. More than 500 U.S. companies representing more than 12 million employees were surveyed by human resource consulting firm Aon Hewitt. The study found that:

•       Only 4 percent of employers were very confident their employees will have adequate retirement assets. This is a dramatic shift from 2011, when the same survey found that 30 percent of employers were very confident with their employees’ retirement assets.

•       Only 10 percent of employers were very confident employees are taking the accountability needed to ensure retirement success.

•       Employers are also questioning the ability of their employees to manage income once they do retire. Only 18 percent felt confident their employees will be able to manage their retirement assets.

Going through life without a retirement plan is a lot like going on a trip without a map or having a final destination in mind. Using a financial adviser to come up with a workable retirement plan is one of the most proactive steps an individual can take toward ensuring a retirement that meets their goals and has their final financial destination in mind.

“Individuals often neglect taking the time to create a long-term strategy for retirement that properly factors in all of their needs,” said Derek Overstreet, president of New Millennium Insurance Services in South Jordan, Utah. “Retirement planning should take into account your particular circumstances and goals for your retirement years.”

It’s never too late to start saving for retirement, even if you are in your 60s. Here are eight tips to jump start a retirement plan in your later years:

1.      Be aware of your current spending habits and calculate how much money you will need to live comfortably in the future.

2.      Meet with a retirement planning expert to come up with a strategy that will take into account all of your needs.

3.      Paying off debt should be a top priority. Once debts are paid off start putting whatever you can toward retirement savings. Even in small increments it will begin to add up.

4.      Practice living on a budget and eliminate unnecessary spending. When you reach retirement you will need to learn to live on what you have saved and not go beyond what has been budgeted. Practice living on a fixed income now to get used to your lifestyle once you do retire.

5.      Don’t depend on Social Security benefits. Many believe that Social Security alone will cover their needs; this is often not the case. According to the Social Security Administration, the average monthly check at the beginning of 2012 was $1,230.

6.      Participate in your employer’s 401k plan for savings. Many employers will match your contribution up to a certain level; take full advantage of this to maximize your return.

7.      Build your savings in a Roth IRA account, while diversifying your investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and more. With the Roth IRA, contributions are made with after-tax dollars and withdrawals are generally tax free.  Any transaction done within the account has no tax impact.

8.      Going from working five days a week to not working at all is major lifestyle change. Consider a phased retirement where you work a couple days each week or just a few months out of the year.

Many have been impacted by the recession with unemployment, a plummeting stock portfolio and major losses in property values. Accept the reality of the current economic situation, but don’t let it deter you from reaching your goals. It may take more time to retire than you originally hoped, but being proactive in your approach will help you to face the future with confidence.

When you retire do you want to stay near grandchildren? Creative Commons License photo credit: teresia

Today I have a guest post written by Suzan Bekiroglu, published author, freelance writer and editorial and SEO consultant.

For many retirees, choosing where to live after they’ve stopped working will be one of the most difficult choices to make. For many people, the choice comes down to keeping the family home next to relatives and long-time friends or moving to a dream home in a sunny climate. For some people, however, this problem is easily solved by owning two homes, one in each area.

There are advantages and disadvantages to owning two homes. Owning two residences means having to pay extra taxes and insurance and maintain and furnish two homes. But for some people, being able to visit and stay at their favorite place in their own home is worth the inconveniences.

Owning two homes means you will have financial obligations for two residences. Unlike owning a single house, owning more than one home often means having to pay higher property taxes. Second residences often do not qualify for homesteader’s exemptions, nor do they qualify for mortgage interest deductions. Purchasing a smaller and/or less expensive second residence, such as a townhouse or condo can help to keep tax bills affordable.

Of course, after a new home is purchased, it must be furnished and maintained. While few people consider this first expense, the cost of furnishing an entire home can get very expensive. In addition to furniture, a second residence has to have everything from silverware to extra sheets for the bed. Once everything has been bought, the residence has to be maintained. Even when no one is living in the home, the grass must be mowed and the appliances must be kept operational. This means paying year-round utility bills and probably hiring a lawn service. In some cases, homeowners hire a property management company to watch over the property for them while they are away.

In order to defray some of these costs many retirees decide to rent out their second home while they are not using it. Homes in tourist destinations such as Florida can be easily rented out for short periods of time to tourists who do not want to stay in a hotel. Even homes in non-tourist areas can be rented out in short-term leases to people who want to experience an area for several weeks or who need a place to stay during extended business.

Renting out a home, of course, comes with its own set of challenges. While property managers can keep track of many of the details, having renters does mean that the owners of a property will have limited the time they can spend in that property. Limiting the number of renters can help, but homeowners who choose to rent out their property will have to deal with some restrictions and possible damage to their home.

Of course, one of the advantages to owning a second property is that it gives the owners much more freedom than renting a hotel room or other property about when they want to visit an area. By owning a home, retirees don’t have to worry about scheduling their visits around the tourist season or finding a rental property during a special event. Owning a home also means not being subject to the whims of a hotel staff and no lost reservations.

Another great thing about owning a second property is that it functions as an investment. By using cash to purchase a second home, any money made from renting it out can be used to finance the lifestyle of the retirees who own it (after maintenance costs, taxes, and insurance is paid). A home equity line of credit can be taken out against the house to provide retirees with ready access to a large sum of cash if necessary. This allows retirees the security of knowing that they will still have access to an emergency fund.

Over time, the value of the second home will most likely increase, leaving a homeowner with an appreciating asset that could be sold or remortgaged if needed. Real estate has been considered to be a secure investment for many years.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to owning a second residence. Carefully consider if this is the right option for you and your family before deciding to purchase a second home.

Suzan Bekiroglu is a published author, freelance writer and editorial and SEO consultant. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida, she faced the mounting obstacle of paying over $24,000 in student loan debt and became determined to eliminate the debt and become very knowledgeable about money management. Ever since, she has sought to educate others with tips on managing student loans and other kinds of debt, general personal finance and money saving.

Creative Commons License photo credit: brianwt108

Getting all the tax deductions you’re entitled to is a great way to save money each year. Today I have another guest article by Ross Blair, President and CEO of Plan Prescriber, Inc. to discuss this issue.

By Ross Blair, CEO of Plan Perscriber

Whether they’re visiting the doctor more, starting their own businesses, caring for an elderly relative, or making home improvements to accommodate new medical devices, today’s Baby Boomers are in a better position than ever to benefit from medical and health insurance-related tax deductions.

Below are some of my favorites. Talk with your accountant to see which deductions apply to you.

Deducting health insurance and medical expenses

Let’s start with the basics. If you itemize on your federal tax return you may be able to deduct medical expenses from your taxable income. Qualifying medical expenses may include monthly premiums you pay for health insurance, copayments, deductibles, dental expenses, and costs for some services not covered by your insurance plan. You can even deduct mileage accrued while driving to and from medical appointments.

If you or your spouse are already receiving Social Security or on Medicare, premiums taken from your Social Security checks to pay for Medicare Part B qualify as deductible too, as do premiums you paid for Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug) coverage or a Medicare Supplemental plan.

Here’s the catch: you can only deduct the portion of your medical expenses that exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. That may seem like quite a hurdle but if you were seriously ill or hospitalized last year, you may qualify.

Deducting health insurance premiums as a business expense

If you had self-employment income in 2011, you may be able to deduct health insurance premiums you paid for yourself and your dependents as an ‘above the line’ business expense (that is, without itemizing).

Be aware, however, that you may not deduct premiums paid for any month in which you were eligible to participate in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan, and that the amount you deduct cannot be greater than your net self-employment income for the year.

Also keep in mind that you can’t include what you paid toward your monthly premiums as an ‘above the line’ expense and also itemize it. Talk to a tax professional to learn more about the different types of self-employment status and the tax implications of each.

Deducting expenses for the care for an aging parent

Lots of today’s Boomers are taking care of elderly parents. If that’s you, you may deserve some relief. If your elderly parent earned less than $3,700 in 2011 (excluding Social Security) and you provided more than half of his or her financial support, you may be able to claim your parent as a dependent.

This earns you an additional dependent exemption, even if your parent doesn’t live with you. And if you’ve paid for the medical or nursing care of a dependent parent, you may also be able to itemize your costs as qualified medical expenses.

Deducting medical home improvements

If you or a dependent are suffering from a chronic medical condition requiring changes to your home, you may have an easier time meeting the 7.5% adjust gross income threshold to deduct itemized medical expenses. In addition to your out-of-pocket costs for medical, dental or vision care, you may also be able to include capital expenses for the installation of home medical equipment or improvement of your property for wheel-chair access.

Getting the most from your Health Savings Account (HSA)

If you have an HSA, be sure to deduct your contributions up to federally prescribed limits. Contributions to your HSA designated for 2011 and made before April 17, 2012 can be counted toward your 2011 federal taxes. HSA contributions for the 2011 tax year are capped at $3,050 for individuals and $6,150 for families. If you’re over age 55, you may qualify to make an additional $1,000 contribution for the year.

In retirement, most people don’t miss working, but they may miss the challenges that a job brought to their life. Even though we stop working, it’s important to continue to find challenges to make life interesting. Today I have a guest post by freelance writer Marianne Ashley on this very topic.

When we reach that wonderful new phase of life known as retirement, there’s a tendency to feel this specific sense that we’ve reached a time where we can finally let go and relax. Relaxation in our anxiety-ridden, work-obsessed world, of course, should be emphasized more in an approach to well-being that is more holistic.

Still, once we settled into a routine of complete relaxation, our friend relaxation can often turn into indolence, stagnation, and boredom. The most important way to stay “forever young” in the spiritual sense, is not related to exercise or the various surgeries and procedures pushed on a youth-obsessed culture. Rather, it’s about keeping a specific mindset, one in which you invite new challenges and welcome new ways of thinking. Here are a few ways to develop this mindset:

1. Learn a new skill or hobby.

Continuous challenge can almost always be equated with continuous learning. Even though you are no longer in school or no longer in the skill-set-acquiring workplace, learning new things is what keeps the mind working and healthy. And since the mind is so closely connected to the body, we must emphasize the “exercising” of both body and mind.

Now what exactly it is that you learn is completely up to you. Whether it’s taking cooking classes, dancing classes, teaching yourself new computer programs, or diving into DIY woodwork projects, as long as your applying yourself to acquisition of a new skill or hobby, you’ll be giving your brain the exercise that it needs.

2. Read books that challenge your beliefs.

A very big component of personal challenge is deliberately exposing your mind to new ideas. The best way to do this is to read widely on an array of different subjects that go against assumptions you’ve held for years. According to a relatively recent New York Times article, neuroscientists have found that adults learn best when they put themselves in situations that challenge their built-up status quo.

Stand Out...Volunteer Creative Commons License photo credit: Amarand Agasi

3. Create a bold but feasible bucket list.

Many people slowly develop a bucket list over time. If you don’t yet have one, start writing one now that you have the time to actually start checking things off that list. Of course, bucket lists are most effective when they are push the envelope on reasonable, but at the same time, they must be realistic, too. Figure out what you’ve always wanted to do and figure out how much time and money you’ll need to spend to do it.

4. Give back to your community.

For most of us, while we may have found ourselves in a career track that was personally rewarding, never necessarily did work that benefited humanity in a public sense. And even if you’ve done some charity work before, now is the best time to devote yourself more fully to helping others. Especially with your level of knowledge, experience, and wisdom, lending a helping hand to various volunteer organizations is a great way to contribute to the community while keeping your mind nimble and open.

If you’re retired, have you found a way to continuously challenge yourself?

By-line: Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

Creative Commons License photo credit: s_falkow

Today I have a guest post by Jason Holmes, a regular writer with Debt Consolication Care.com and is
also a contributory writer with other financial sites.

Planning for your retirement from the perspective of a baby boomer

Baby boomers comprise of the entire generation who were born between 1946 and 1964 and according to recent reports, 35 million men and women who can be categorized as baby boomers are seriously thinking about retirement planning.

Unfortunately, the number of debt free baby boomers is gradually decreasing with time and more and more retirees are marring their golden years with high interest debt.

Though most financial experts are of the opinion that the Americans spend more time planning their vacations, yet there are still some people who want to spend a peaceful retired life and they’re trying their best to lead a debt free life by following certain financial moves. Read on to know what retirement planning entails.

1. Save money as it’s never too late to start: When it comes to saving money, you should be aware that it’s never too late to start off with it. The earlier you can start, the earlier you can build a fund that can be beneficial during a negative financial climate. You should save at least 10% of what you make in a month so that you may build an emergency fund from which you may be able to withdraw money during a financial crisis. Start saving money while you’re young so that you can continue with this habit till you retire in the long run.
2. Contribute money to your workplace retirement fund: You should contribute money to the workplace retirement fund so that you can build a tax saving account that can come of use when you cross the retirement age. Irrespective of whether your employer offers a matched contribution, you should keep on contributing a portion of what you earn into this account so that you can withdraw money from this account during your post-retired years.
3. Stop using your plastics: When you’re planning for your retirement, you should incorporate the habit of using cash instead of plastic. Unless you get yourself habituated to the habit of using cash instead of plastic, you can never get back a grip on your finances and delete your financial worries. The more you use your plastics, the more you become liable to repay the debt with the interest rate.
4. Determine your retirement needs: Another important step that you need to take is to determine your retirement needs. When you stop working, it is most obvious that your needs will also change and therefore unless you can assess what you may need after you retire, you can never plan your future. Jot down your needs so that you can easily know the exact amount that you may need to keep aside in order to lead a financially secured life.
5. Think about ways to boost your income: The present economic environment is too sluggish and this makes the debtors and the seniors more vulnerable to a monetary fuss. When you retire you will be staying on a fixed income and therefore you should look for ways to boost your monthly income and save the money. You can try the online options of making money and saving it for future use.
6. So, when you’re interested in leading a debt free retired life, you should follow the steps mentioned above. Start thinking of money while you’re young so that you may get enough time to plan for a debt free retired life.

Check out Jason Holmes at Debt Consolidation Care.com. His expertise is woven around various aspects of the debt industry and with his e-books he tries to impart to people the different situations and simple solutions to get out of difficult situations. Some of his works include e-books like ‘Credit Score The Quintessential Therapy for a Happy Pocket’, Take Creditors and Collection Agencies to Small Claims Court’ and, My Story- From Depression To a Smile’.

Many boomers have discovered they don't want or need a large house. Creative Commons License photo credit: mikecogh

Downsizing for Retirement - Is this an opportunity to declutter and live a simpler life or do we throw up our
hands in horror, wondering how we’ll ever weed through the accumulation of “stuff” we’ve stockpiled over the years. Maybe some boomers even see downsizing as a step backwards or a sad letting go of an old way of life.

I’ll keep you posted on that one!

Inspirational Retirement Videos

Recently I received the email below from Jadon Gauthier about Prudential Retirement’s Day One videos. I thought I would share these inspirational videos with my readers. This website also has some informative links to help you prepare for retirement.

Here is Jadon’s email:

Baby boomers deserve to have their stories told and their lives anew come time of retirement. Prudential’s new videos may be the best retirement ads ever made because of their beauty and inspiring representation of the first day of life in retirement for several men and women. Every so often you get to see and hear something that is truly moving and captivating. Prudential Retirement’s Day One videos are just that. They speak of beauty, discovery, identity, love, hard times and recovery, new times and peace.

I invite you to experience one or more of these inspirational videos and share them with your readers to get their reaction.  Let me know if you would like more information about Prudential or need any other details. Thank you so much for your consideration.Linda Gutherie - Day One of her retirement

In this episode we meet Linda who finds contentment in her dog Deacon and her new independence.

Mujahid Abdul-Rashid - Day One of his retirement

In this episode, Mujahid who considers whether the steps he’s taken have cleared a safe path for his family to follow.

Nadine Peterson - Day One of her retirement

Nadine reflects on the importance of family and friends and her own vitality in this next chapter of life.

Hermann Bouska - Day One of his retirement

In this episode, we meet Hermann. After years of deadlines and calculated precision, he’s now focusing on helping his family get to the next stage of life.

I’d like to thank Jadon and Prudential for providing these great videos.

Here are two more luau party games from my friend Cindy over at CoconutRoads.com. She’s also in the over-50 crowd and thinks these are perfect for my boomer blog as they are fun, don’t require the flexibility

Learn the Hula!

of Twister or Limbo but speak to our sharp minds (except those inconvenient “senior moments”) and love of a good time.

Kimo Says

Played like Simon Says only with a Hawaiian twist – or hula move that is. Begin

by teaching a few basic hula moves. If you are booking hula or Polynesian dancers, arrange for your guests to be taught some simple hula movements. Otherwise, go to http://www.alohafriendsluau.com/hulamoves.html for some basic moves, and then type each move you want to learn into YouTube. You can get a good idea just from the web page, but it helps to the dancers in motion.

Many of the hand motions, such as for swaying palms, rain and the sea are fairly intuitive. Whether your luau’s entertainment teaches the moves or you do, it might also help the guests to have them sketched on a large board for easy reference during the game. And a bonus to this game is that everyone learns some hula!

Don’t expect moves to be performed perfectly. Dancing hula will likely be a first for most of the guest so expect lots of laughter! As long as the contestants are doing an ami instead of the hula gesture for love, they are stay “in.” If someone jumps the gun or performs a completely wrong move, then the person is out.

Hawaiian Pictionary

Knowledge-based games have lots of appeal for those of us over 50 - after all we’ve accumulated a lot of knowledge – some trivia, some important – in our lifetimes, a game is a fun way to show it off! Even more is a game that involves a skill not all are so good at because it adds an element of silliness. Enter Hawaiian Pictionary. This may be a bit easier than the Luau party game - Hawaiian Charades, depending on your guests’ acting and drawing skills. If you draw people like I do, then your Hawaiian Pictionary drawings may resemble ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs more than text book art but that adds to the fun!

Party Pictionary Supplies

Depending on your budget and how creative you want to get with your supplies, here’s what can work.

The important thing is to have a drawing board that is easy for all to see. This can be an easel with large sheets of drawing paper, or something as inexpensive as a roll of blank paper purchased from the local newspaper with a new piece quickly taped to the wall for each player taking a turn. Alternatively, a wipe-off white board with dry erase markers requires no paper, and if you have children in the home, they can enjoy this too.

Pictionary Subjects

Anything from Hawaiian culture is fair game. To slant this towards the over 50 crowd, consider movies, songs, books, personalities and other Hawaiian topics from the 1950s through early 1970s. This also happens to be a time when thanks to Statehood, jet travel and Elvis, all-things-Hawaii became of great interest to the U.S. mainland. For specific topic ideas, see my blog “Luau Party Games – Hawaiian Charades.”

Get more ideas and directions for luau party games.

Decorations for your Luau

Today I have a Guest Blogger, my friend, Hawaii Culture & Travel Writer, Cindy Blankenship. Check out Cindy’s Hawaiian travel website at Coconut Roads.com

Luau Party Games for the Over-50 Crowd – Hawaiian Charades

Hawaiian charades is a perfect game for baby boomers! Here’s why I think so. Most of us were old enough during the 1960s to have witnessed the huge increase in Hawaii-themed entertainment in that era that was propelled by the first jet service to the islands and Elvis’ Blue Hawaii shortly following Statehood in 1959.

Also, “Hawaii Calls” broadcast weekly from Waikiki Beach was at its height of popularity on the U.S. mainland in the 1950s through early 1970s and introduced many of us to the music and culture of our Aloha State. In other words, Hawaii was a popular subject in mainland American homes when we were growing up.

Many movies were made in Hawaii previous to Statehood and many more since the Golden Age of tourism, but the 1950s through early 1970s lend a vast number of subjects for Hawaiian-theme charades. Below the directions you’ll find a list of some of these (and a few newer ones) to help you get started.

How to Play Charades

Directions – There are many ways to play charades. If you want to make it a competition, divide your luau guests into two teams. You can create the Charades cards with subjects ahead of time, or you can have each team write subjects (see list below for ideas) on slips of paper, folding each paper in half and then placing in a basket or hat (a coconut woven basket or hat would be perfect!).

Each team player will have a chance to act out the subject on the card, while his team tries to guess the subject. No words can be used. The actor is not allowed to speak. A timer is set for 3 to 5 minutes (make it the same amount of time for each actor). If the actor’s team guesses correctly, that team scores a point.

Now it’s the other team’s turn. With each turn a new actor draws a subject from the hat to act out. Everybody gets a turn! Team members yell out their guesses. It’s important that the team choose a slip of paper or card randomly from the opponent’s basket. In other words the team doesn’t get to create their own subjects. Alternatively, the party host can create the subjects and allow the actor to draw from the basket.

Once all have had a turn at acting out a subject, you can go more rounds or end the game there. Decide ahead of time on this. Also be sure you have enough subjects for each team member to have a go at acting out.

At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins! If you’d like to play just for fun, simply have the subjects on folded cards or papers in baskets and take volunteers to act them out. Charades is probably the most or one of the most popular party games. It’s a lot of fun!

Hawaiian decorations for your luau

Hawaiian Charades Topics for your Luau

Movies Filmed in Hawaii

• From Here to Eternity (1953)
• South Pacific (1958)
• Blue Hawaii (1961)
• Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961)
• In Harm’s Way (1965)
• Hawaii (1966)
• Paradise Hawaiian Style (1966)
• 50 First Dates (2003)

More movies filmed in Hawaii for your luau games (charades or trivia!)

TV Shows Filmed in Hawaii

• Gilligan’s Island
• Hawaii 5-0 (original with Jack Lord or current)
• Magnum PI
• Lost
• Bay Watch

Hawaiian Songs

• Akaka Falls
• Aloha `Oe
• Beyond the Reef
• Blue Hawaii
• Hawaiian Lullaby
• Hawaiian Wedding Song
• Honolulu City Lights
• Hukilau Song
• I’ll Remember You
• Lovely Hula Hands
• Little Grass Shack
• Mele Kalikimaka
• Morning Dew
• Pearly Shells
• Sea Breeze
• Sweet Leilani
• Tiny Bubbles
• Waikiki

These songs are good ones for Hawaiian karaoke too!

A quick search for Hawaii’s most popular songs will bring you lots more.

Famous People of Hawaii (from Hawaii or had a home there)

• Alfred Apaka
• Bette Midler
• Charo
• Don Ho
• Don the Beachcomber
• Duke (Duke Kahanamoku)
• Elvis Presley
• Father Damien
• George Harrison
• IZ (Extra point for his full name: Israel Kamakawiwoʻole)
• Keola Beamer
• Kealii Reichel
• King Kamehameha
• Hilo Hattie
• Hapa
• Harry Owens
• Prince Kuhio
• Sam Choy
• Queen Liliuokalani
• Wayne Dyer

Books about Hawaii

• Hawaii ( by James Michener)
• Jack London’s Stories of Hawaii
• Roughing It (Mark Twain)

Words & Phrases

• Aloha
• Beach
• Mai Tai
• Coconut Tree
• Dolphin
• Hawaiian Punch
• Hula
• Kane (man)
• Kapu (tabu)
• Surf
• Fish
• Mahalo
• Poi
• Luau
• Paniolo (Hawaiian Cowboy)
• Pineapple
• Rainbow
• Samoan Fire Dancer
• Shark
• Snorkel
• Tahitian Dancer
• Tiki
• Tourist
• Tsunami
• Volcano
• Wahini
• Whale

Places

• Diamond Head
• Volcano National Park
• Honolulu
• Waikiki
• North Shore
• Kauai
• Oahu
• Pipeline
• Maui
• Hawaii Island (Big Island)
• Kona
• Highway to Hana
• Lahaina

Hawaiian Party Tips: Depending on their ages, your over-50 guests will have grown up in the 50s, 60s and 70s. You don’t need to get too technical but do consider the largest age group when planning games that require some cultural knowledge. Aim for the majority but include something for everyone. Or to make it easier on yourself, let your guests help come up with ideas for Charades and other knowledge-based luau party games!

Finally, don’t stop here. Get more ideas and directions for luau party games.

Stay tuned for Joan’s Boomer Blog post: “Luau Party Games – “Kimo Says” and “Hawaiian Pictionary”

Thanks so much Cindy! I can just imagine a warm summer evening, soft Hawaiian music playing, the patio decorated for a luau, and enjoying some of these luau party games with friends.

This is my first post in a couple weeks because I’ve been on vacation. My husband and I drove from Texas to California and then to Oregon to visit family. Both going out and coming home, we drove through West Texas and saw nothing but wide open skies and a few tumbleweeds blowing about. On my first night home, I was walking my dogs and saw a strange site. A little black convertible drew up at the house at the end of the street. Taking up the entire back seat was a giant tumbleweed.

Mostly when I walk the dogs, I only say hello to the neighbors but I had to stop and comment on the tumbleweed. The lady getting out of the car told me she’d just driven through West Texas too and stopped to pick one up. The rest of her story got me to thinking about creating retirement incomes and second careers.

In 1994, Linda Katz wanted to build a website and start a business. As a joke she created a site called Prairie Tumbleweed Farm, offering to ship tumbleweeds to customers around the world. To her great surprise, her business became successful.

The woman on my street said she’d decided to get a tumbleweed and make a YouTube video about it’s life. When she and her friend were in West Texas, she said, the tumbleweed even got them out of getting a speeding ticket. When the police officer asked her about the tumbleweed in the back seat of her car, he probably thought she was crazy, but he laughed and let her go. Not, however, before he got his picture taken with the tumbleweed as part of the story.

What struck me about the tumbleweed business is this. If you’re looking for a second career after retirement or you need to make some supplemental income after you retire, think outside the box. Think about what interests you, think about a niche that you could fill, imagine how you could have fun making money with whatever it is. Perhaps you’ll even come up with a niche nobody has thought of yet like the tumbleweeds.

You never know what people will be interested in. Remember pet rocks? These days there is probably no idea so crazy you couldn’t make money with it, provided it’s legal. As for the tumbleweeds, they are a rather ingenious product as they can be a challenge to get rid of if you DON’T want one. In Kennawick, Washington, if a tumbleweed blows onto your property, it’s illegal to remove it to public property and the city website explains how to legally dispose of them. To some, tumbleweeds are trash but to some they are treasure.

If you have to work after retirement to supplement your income, or if you just want a second career that’s fun and interesting, put your thinking cap on and come up with something you’ll enjoy doing. Isn’t that what retirement is all about?