The Next Time Your Doorbell Rings, Think Twice Before Opening The Door

When the senior homeowner answered her door she made her 1st mistake.

As she listened to the woman standing outside and began conversation she made her 2nd mistake. The woman was pleasant and convincing and the homeowner made her 3rd mistake by inviting the woman inside the house.

The woman was supposedly selling a new, improved security system. After talking a few minutes the woman asked for a glass of water, and the senior made her 4th mistake – leaving the woman alone while she went to the kitchen (and also leaving her purse in plain view).

How would that happen? Well, the woman appealed to our homeowner’s curiosity and pride. She told our elderly homeowner that the next door neighbor had just purchased a [top of the line] security system, so even though the homeowner had a good, perfectly functioning system, she was not about to risk having a product that was inferior to something owned by her neighbor.

A few days later the bank of the unsuspecting senior homeowner called to say someone had attempted to cash a $1,000 check drawn on her checking account. The bank declined; however, the woman was successful at having the check deposited to the account of an acquaintance at another bank.

It seems the woman was employed although not as a security system salesperson. She had presented the check to her supervisor, told him it was for a lot of work she had been doing for a homeowner who finally paid her, and asked the supervisor to endorse the check (3rd party—a warning flag he missed) and give her the money from petty cash – which, unbelievably, he did and became the second victim. He realized his bad judgment when the local police appeared at his office. The stolen money was returned to the senior homeowner by the second victim’s bank; I don’t know what happened to the supervisor and his job.

This is not a new scam but it still works. If you have an older relative living alone, be their advocate and stay alert in case they aren’t.

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

Tips On Controlling Your Food Budget (The Secret Is In The Planning)

Tips On Controlling Your Food Budget (The Secret Is In The Planning)

Boomers, did we expect to spend so much, ever, once the kids were gone? I don’t think so. It has taken some effort to re-train ourselves on grocery shopping and meal preparation as we return to where we started – meals for two. Notice I mentioned grocery shopping and meal p-r-e-p-a-r-a-t-i-o-n. Eating out frequently can make big dents in our otherwise manageable cash flow and sabotage our efforts to save for an emergency, but the secret is in the planning, e.g., a meal plan and grocery list (and possibly some coupons) in hand at the store.

I remember my Daddy’s spin on money after seeing his father lose everything in the Great Depression and we kids actually laughed. But that was a long time ago and I’m not laughing today. I get it. Why, I remember preparing our week’s meals on less than $15.00/week!! Now I am sounding like my father, but we ate so much tuna casserole I still have fins and to this day can’t bear to look at a can of cream of mushroom soup.

Having a meal plan in place also allows us to set aside smaller portions in disposable freezer containers which can be delivered to someone who is home from the hospital or an elderly friend or family member whose diet is questionable. More personal and much less expensive than stopping by a local restaurant.

I am now re-inspired to be a better planner — both for myself, my family and for others.

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

Depression or recession? 5 Stories from my Mom

Am I the only person who is confused about whether our recession has come or gone? The paper and the TV news offer little encouragement but it does encourage me to think more about smart spending and savvy saving and reminds me of stories my mother told.

My mother said they didn’t realize they were poor because my grandparents were creative and never forgot how to have fun: day-long Christmas tree decorating, my grandfather’s Spanish omelet that made weekend mornings an occasion, singing with “Puddy” (the family’s black Lab), playing with the chickens.

I always liked the story about my grandmother’s chicken project. She decided to raise the birds so the family diet would have more protein, but it didn’t work as she had planned. My mother and uncle named all of the chickens and and they became pets. When “Charlie” and others were served up on the dinner table, the kids cried and refused to eat their baked or fried pets. Actually, I don’t remember hearing what happened to the little poultry souls since food wasn’t thrown away so casually in those days. Mammaw was a great cook, so I’m thinking she may have disguised the departed friends in a soup, stew or casserole type dish.

One of my favorites: Mom and her friends would have a dance – at home. In those days the floors were wood, so they would roll up the rug. Remember this was before wall-to-wall carpet. The kids would all combine their money to buy an ice sculpture which at that time was inexpensive, make punch, turn on the radio and dance the night away. I didn’t understand how an ice sculpture worked with punch, but the story sounded good and I never questioned the combination.

Even my great-grandmother might be at the party. She was an invalid from rheumatoid arthritis, but she followed the beat of music with one finger and the next morning would happily say that she had danced too much the night before.

I can still imagine the smiles around the room, hear the music, and feel what we now call energy as young and old enjoyed each other’s company and had fun without a credit card balance to pay the following month.

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

When Is It Time For Seniors To Give Up The Car Keys?

Someone recently asked if we return to our childhood ways in our later years and I said, “sometimes”. Understanding exactly how that works requires greater minds than mine, but my best reasoning is that it is about control.

Does a toddler not know what they are doing when they look us in the eye in sheer defiance? Does a child of any age accidentally lie to the parent about doing something they know clearly is off limits? Of course not. Whether toddler age, pre-teen or youth, the kids’ defiance is a desire for control and parents don’t need a degree in psychology to understand this.

So for parents, the car keys are often the last serious piece of leverage we have with our kids.

Now fast forward to a time in life we all reach if we live long enough – old age – and we’re still having issues about car keys !! How crazy is that? Adults are supposed to be wiser because of life experiences. Seeing another driver straddle or weave between two lanes; drive 20 miles slower than the speed limit; clearly not see or understand how to respond to traffic signals and signs (this example doesn’t include younger people talking on their cell phones) raises our level of social indignation.

However, as with other issues, it is easier to criticize someone else’s lack of good judgment than it is to look in the mirror and say, “kiddo, it has been a good ride and it has been fun, but now it is time to let someone else deal with traffic.” It hurts our pride and the keys represent independence.

There is good news in this situation: If we see the issue and use our good minds, generally there are options, and we can still have control. Remember, if we don’t make our decisions while we can, someone else will make the decision for us and it may not be the one we would have chosen.

Drive safely and recognize when it is time to let someone else do the driving as we continue our life adventures.

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

Show Me The Money! 5 Fun Ways To Save

With or without a recession, a lot of people continue to be interested in finding extra cash with more careful budgeting and “deals”; home-based businesses; incentives and rebates; best prices on groceries and staples; better rates for electricity; more fuel-efficient autos and best weekly gasoline prices; “green” features in our homes; best drug prices, etc. And not to forget the annual Medicare windows for re-checking premium rates on Medicare supplementary policies.

I am not a heavy duty coupon shopper, but some are too good to pass up. We don’t drive long distances to save a few cents, but have identified the stores around us where the best buys can be found on fresh produce, meat, household goods, drugs – – even eye glasses. My most recent good deal was for prescription sunglasses where I saved approximately $300 over the prior provider.

Research home-based business opportunities. If you find one that works well for you, talk with your tax accountant or CPA before starting so you correctly handle record keeping and tax planning.

Yes – I am back to the subject of de-cluttering, but extra cash can be a great motivation to clean out stuff in your house. Seriously. Garage sale success is unpredictable but if you have volume, especially items with collectible appeal – and that covers a wide range – you may be surprised at the amount of money a weekend can yield. My suggestion: do this by no later than mid-October before people become immersed in holiday planning and busy-ness.

Gold and silver rates continue to be up so have a party even if you personally don’t have any gold or silver to sell. The gold/silver representative sometimes pays the hostess for having the party as well as a percentage of sales made. Shop rates and deals on credit cards – especially with credit unions.

And, go to http://www.missingmoney.com. I have checked. One family member has $194 out there.

Happy deal finding and saving !!

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI

CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

Downsizing: The Politically Correct Term for “Get Rid of Your Junk”!

Downsizing: The Politically Correct Term for “Get Rid of Your Junk”!

We recently saw a program on families who have problems with hoarding and I was thankful that throwing out unused stuff is not one of my issues. But I have known people, even family members, who have this legitimate, serious problem and know how embarrassing and frustrating it can be for everyone in the family.

The program I watched was reassuring as it showed families dealing with the problem. Just my opinion, but I don’t see hoarding to be a source of embarrassment any more than one of a number of other illnesses. I’m not a medical professional and going out on a limb to say that hoarding is a type of mental illness. However, in spite of the pain, frustration, fear, even loss
resulting from various illnesses, there is no shame in an illness itself. Help is available if and when an individual is ready for the help and hopefully there will be a friend and/or family member to provide additional support.

We felt encouragement on behalf of several different individuals to see families who found different psychologists to help them and their loved ones work through the underlying causes of the hoarding issues and provide support
for the individuals asking for help.

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

Tell Your Children About Long Term Care Insurance, Before Its Too Late

In an earlier article, I recall saying that our job of parenting is never finished and I believe that. I also believe that in the children’s adult years, we as parents are continuing to lead the way as we deal with changing issues in the second half of our lives. One of those huge issues is health care in the next 20+ years. As serious a problem as we now have, I can’t imagine how health care will continue to change and how our children will afford to have good health care.

My suggestion to them: long term care insurance.

See, when I first heard of long term care and began to tell my husband, he did what these manly creatures generally do. He disagreed with me. I did what most wives do – I argued back with him. This continued for almost two years until I just wore him
down. I did – and I’m still bragging about that little victory. He finally surrendered, said call the agent, signed the papers and you think that is the end of my story. It isn’t.

With long term care insurance, there is a probationary period during which time, as I understand, one is not eligible for coverage. Our time was 6 months. Well, about 6-1/2 months later, my husband had a massive heart attack; actually, he also went into
cardiac arrest and several days later had triple bypass surgery.

So now, I wonder if he would be eligible for long term care insurance. Probably not but if he could get the insurance, we would no longer be able to afford the premium.

So this is my sermon to most people on the sunny side of 60. If you are extremely wealthy, you have my permission to tune me out. Otherwise, you might want to listen up because this momma gets it. Hopefully, you will also get it — long term care insurance, that is. Make it a part of your pre-retirement and long range retirement planning. As in most things, all long term care insurance is not equal, so do your homework. Don’t just look at the premium. Look at the company’s financial stability and its market share – also compare what you get for what you pay. But – just do it.

Becky Hopkins, Realtor®, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

How Do We Know When Its Time To Ask For Help? Part 2

How Do We Know When Its Time To Ask For Help? Part 2, By Becky Hopkins

With one or more health problems and limited cash, a senior’s options often disappear. If a person is still in home ownership, the property’s value may offer a partial solution, depending upon the person’s age, the type of health issues, and the type of assistance needed. As a starting place, often it is a good idea to explore the options provided by one’s home.

1st Option: Selling the property is the obvious choice, but not always the best, especially if the property is in a good location and has been well maintained. In such a case, selling the property causes the owner to dispose of an appreciable asset.

2nd Option: Another option is property management where the property is used as a rental to produce monthly income. In this scenario and for a reasonable fee, a good property management company will “manage” various aspects of leasing the property
on behalf of the owner.

3rd Option: If the owner is late 70’s or older* and appears to be able to remain at home for at least a few more years, a reverse mortgage can supply money (non- taxable income) for in-home assistance until a later time when the owner might need to sell the property and move to a senior community. * – Homeowners are eligible for a reverse mortgage at age 62, but about 8-10 years later will produce a larger amount from the mortgage.

A geriatric care manager (aka eldercare manager) can work with a family to determine the best care plan for an individual. This person is generally, but not always, a licensed social worker. A care manager will look at an individual’s financial condition, medical issues, and help the family gather information for making a decision that is in the best interests of an individual.

Most people want to remain in their homes, but for many people this requires advance planning. A homeowner’s refusal to ask for help to plan ahead actually can prevent them from doing what they want to do – remain in their home.

There are times that a refusal to ask for help is an indicator of memory problems or dementia. At such a time, an attorney may be needed to set up a guardianship in order to complete a plan of action and move forward for the individual’s best
interests.

Becky Hopkins, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

How Do We As Seniors, Know When It Is Time To Ask For Help – Part 1

How Do We As Seniors, Know When It Is Time To Ask For Help – Part 1, By Becky Hopkins

Asking for help is not fun, and at those times of resisting help, otherwise smart people can and do put themselves at risk.

“Risk” can mean unwise spending habits. After all, who wants to outlive what our finances can support? If our decisions concerning money cause us to spend down too fast, we may find ourselves without financial options which is not a good place to be.

“Risk” can mean unsafe habits such as driving — you know, that time when everyone runs for cover as you pick up the car keys.

Turning in the car keys is a huge — often embarrassing — decision. Our self talk says, “there goes my independence and the control over my lifestyle” and “what will my friends think?”, forgetting that most of our friends are having the same decision issues. However, with some smart planning many of us can continue the lifestyle we enjoy and at the same cost — or less.

When driving becomes unsafe (and deep down, most of us also know that time when it happens), be smart! Sell that gas guzzler (or even newer hybrid) and approach this as a business decision. Set up a little bank account with your money from the
car sale. Then begin putting the money you have spent on gas, insurance and car maintenance and you won’t believe how it grows. Then – begin exploring your transportation options.

Becky Hopkins, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

http://www.50andholding.info

Read Full Post »

Planning Ahead, A Gift To Pass Along To Your Younger Generations

Planning Ahead, A Gift To Pass Along To Your Younger Generations, By Becky Hopkins

Some of my best ideas have come a few minutes before bedtime, or at midnight prior to a morning event on the following day—too late, in most cases, to do anything about the idea. The same with intentions about all of the things I will do tomorrow, next month, next year. If carried out, some of these ideas would produce unique and appreciated gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, baby showers, etc.

One of my unfulfilled ideas has been a collection of family recipes—not original and others have most likely done this, but unique to me and my family because of the people involved. These days you can find almost anything on the internet, but it isn’t as likely to have an attached personal story, and the story is as important (or more important) as the actual recipe. With today’s computer technology, preparation isn’t as daunting a task as a few years ago, and some family recipe collections may carry a history of the family that present generations might not otherwise know—traditions, memories, stories that can be included for special interest about recipes and definitely are worthy of being preserved.

One of our favorite things to do – re-living family stories when we are spending time with younger family members. For centuries, families had oral histories about their kin and hopefully, technology won’t erase this form of preserving traditions. Our young people always laugh, even when they remember hearing stories from pass visits. We hope the repetition helps to imbed the stories in their memories.

Becky Hopkins, SRES, GRI
CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

Serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

http://www.50andholdling.info

Read Full Post »