A younger friend of mine got into couponing a few months ago. She is a young mom, with 4 children at home, and works full time at home as a medical transcriptionist. She called one day all excited. “Guess what? I just checked out of the grocery store for less than a dollar — and I got $70 worth of food.”

Naturally I was curious. I pummeled her with questions. She had been studying a website called Southern Savers. Southern Savers is a grocery coupon and sale site for those of us in the southeastern USA. Each week, the most popular grocery store and drug store chains are listed with their best buys and links to coupon sites for printing. It is truly amazing. I went on one trip with my friend, Tammy, just to watch what she was doing. She was following exactly the recommendations on Southern Savers. And she is not only feeding her family, but she is taking food to the local food bank each week, too.

Now the week of the very special “less than a dollar” shopping is not a normal weekly occurence but she is feeding her family of six for very little each week. Oh, did I tell you she has a 16 year old, a 12 year old, an 8 year old and a 6 year old? All four children are very active and busy and they do love to snack, and there is always plenty there to eat!

This is certainly one way that we seniors can make some money. A penny saved is still a penny earned, right? I have to admit that I am not nearly as successful as Tammy has been, but I certainly can see a difference in our grocery bill, and if I spent more time on it, I know I could save even more. And couponing is a fun and addictive hobby too!

Smart Money provides a list of the 5 best couponing sites. In the UK, the top site listed is RetailMeNot and in Australia, the top site listed is Clever Coupons. I think it is safe to say that wherever you live, coupons are available — and most likely, you have coupon clubs and regional sites like those in our area. Couponing is a fad that’s here to stay.

So get on board and tell us how you do. and if you belong to a couponing group, please tell us about it in the comment section below.

Related posts

• No related posts.

Do you have all of your important information in one place? Or do you have scraps of notes here and there and everywhere? This little book is perfect for gathering all of your important information — and as seniors, we know we must keep track of all of our personal and medical information. This spiral bound booklet allows you to enter the most fundamental information about your personal history, your present life and your plans for your future life and death, which should be recorded in one location for reference by your children or caregivers. I am ordering mine right now! Join me?

Personal Life Organizer

Related posts

• Surviving as a Senior (6)
• iPhone Accessibility for Seniors with Low Vision (3)
• Independent Senior Living — What is it? (7)
• Tips for Senior Living (9)
• Seniors and Baby Boomers – Should you still be driving? (11)

The new iPhone Accessibility features make the iPhone extremely friendly for people with low vision. You can zoom, voice over, or even change from black on white text to white on black. With the voice over turned on, a simple touch of a button will tell you exactly what that button will do. The best way to explain it is to show you the video. I think this may be the best new application for legally blind users.

To read more about the iPhone, simply click below, but watch the video first! You will be amazed at all the different ways this phone can be suited to your specific needs.

Apple iPod touch 32 GB (3rd Generation) NEWEST MODEL

Related posts

• Personal Life Organizer (3)
• Marriage is Teamwork (10)
• Independent Senior Living — What is it? (7)
• How to Buy a Talking Watch (7)
• Are We “Taking Care Of” or “Over-Coddling” our Elderly and Disabled? (5)

Always have fun!

Sure, we can grow old if we like. But it does not sound like much fun, does it? Those of us with grandchildren know already– the purpose of grandchildren is to keep us young!!

Last week I was shooting basketball with my grandson. I am not very good at it, but I sure tried! And he laughed and laughed. He and his legally blind Poppy shoot basketball competitively, and they do have fun at that! Zach coaches his Poppy — “that one was a little bit to the left, Poppy” or “you missed that one Poppy!” At six years old, he is a great coach!

And it is much better for us seniors to be out there trying to play basketball than sitting in a chair doing nothing — whether we are good at basketball or not.

I learned a new lesson from our granddaughter today – we went to the grocery store. She carefully wrote out our grocery list and off we went. But we somehow arrived at the store without our list. Jessica said, “Don’t worry, JoanJoan, I remember them all!” And she did! We quickly bought groceries with the help of her young memory. Yippee! From now on, she is going to the store with me so I don’t forget anything, even when I forget the list!

We do need to take advantage of the joy and energy and talents of our grands, no doubt! And I firmly believe all our lives will be richer for the experience — and more fun too!

Related posts

• Journaling for the Grandchildren (5)
• Tips for Senior Living (9)
• Surviving as a Senior (6)
• Seniors and Baby Boomers – Should you still be driving? (11)
• Living Life as a Senior Citizen (4)

My dear friend, Holley, wrote recently on her blog that she is worried about her parents, particularly her father’s upcoming surgery. And when I read her post, my heart grieved with her. I so well remember that dread, that fear, that “what happens to me without my parents?” And whether you admit it or not, no matter how old you are, you still feel that way until they are gone.

I wondered if our children worry about us. We have a son and daughter. Both are happily married and all four of our “kids” do take care of us. I smiled to myself when we came home from dancing last week and Kathy and Adam walked us into the house when they brought us home. It’s really really wonderful to feel loved!

But…what would I tell them if they were concerned about our deaths?

I would first quote my own father, who constantly reminded us that death is a natural part of life and that life is for the living. He also used to say “I just want to live until I die.” In those days, I thought that was a funny thing to say, but from this perspective, I understand just what he meant. I want to live as long as I can live — really live and enjoy my life!

Our mother had Alzheimer’s Disease from the age of 57. It was an 11 year nightmare watching this happy, loving wife and mother disappear before our eyes. Already I have been able to be with my children longer than mama was with us — in a real way anyway. I feel blessed with those extra years — like I got a bonus!

When I die, I hope my children will be glad I was around as long as I was — however long that turns out to be — and that they will enjoy happy memories of fun times together.

We are preparing for our family reunion (on my father’s side of the family). Part of this preparation is writing our memories of those original brothers and sisters we call Minnie’s Kids – my dad was one of those! I am compiling the memories as folks email them to me. This week we are focusing on the house on Shaw Street where our Aunts Ruby and Lillie lived. Over and over again, I have read — “they made me feel special.” and “I always felt loved in that house.”

You must realize that we are seniors (the age of your parents, Holley) writing our memories of a generation that is past — and yet, when we pause to reflect, we remember feeling loved and special as little children.

And so, Holley, that is the lesson of all of this circle of life talk. We live, we love, we die. And the piece of us that lives on and on in the hearts of those we love is that very love we have poured into them so gently, so carefully, for all of our lives.

I hope and pray that someday in the future my grandchildren will write happy memories of the love they found in our home. Is there anything that matters any more than that? I think not.

So, as my sister Betty would say, Enjoy the moments! Every moment of every day. Fill your time with your parents with happy loving conversations and laughter and enjoy them as long as you have them with you. And when the time comes that they are gone from this earth plane, replay those memories and bathe yourself in that precious love any time you want to! That is exactly what they would want you to do!

Related posts

• No related posts.

We had a wonderful time last evening. We went dancing with the Rock Hill Shag Club. In fact, we applied for membership. Regular dancing is not only great exercise for seniors, but good socialization, too!

Our daughter and son-in-law went with us last night, and they had a great time too! Since the Carolina Shag is the State dance for South Carolina, all ages enjoy it. We have decided that a monthly shag night is a great adult family event, so next time we are hoping our son and daughter-in-law will join us too!

It was fun last night to watch some of the older beach shaggers – the folks who danced at Ocean Drive back in the 1950’s. And oh those folks can really dance! I remember in the 1950’s, Mama would have us dance before school — probably to help us stay warm — we walked to school in those days!

In the 1950’s, we danced everywhere – in friend’s homes, in the high school gym, even in the church social hall! We seemed to dance our way through the 1960’s too!

Note to Seniors — I have finally learned that if I take two Tylenol at bedtime, and coat my feet and legs with Absorbine or some other linament after dancing, I do not have leg and foot cramps in the night! Now I can have fun knowing I won’t struggle for sleep!

Just in case you have never seen the Carolina Shag, I am including a video!
Carolina Shag Dance

Related posts

• No related posts.

Men’s Economy Talking Watch

Buying a talking watch used to be simple. We quickly bought the first one we found back in 1988! Today, however, there are choices to be made before you make a final decision.

1. Set a budget. Will you choose the finest talking watch available, or a budget watch?

2. Style and color – Talking watches are available in gold, silver, black and I have even seen a pink one! You can have a fancy watch or a sport watch.

3. Buttons and alarms – Do you want a timer included? Do you need a talking calendar in your watch? Analog or digital? Do you need a one button watch for simplicity or the four button watch with more options? Would you prefer a talking watch with braille?

4. Sound – Do you want a male voice to tell you the time? A female voice? Sometimes little audio clips are available so that you can hear exactly what your watch will sound like. Remember you will hear this voice hundreds and hundreds of times during the lifetime of the watch — choose carefully.

Related posts

• Talking Products for the Visually Impaired (11)
• iPhone Accessibility for Seniors with Low Vision (3)
• Time for a Seeing Eye or Guide Dog? (6)
• Marriage is Teamwork (10)
• Legally Blind- It’s all about attitude! (15)

Is it possible for the old folks to be romantic? You’d better believe it!
We had snow in South Carolina yesterday. Beautiful, white fluffy snow! About 5″ of it! Really unusual for the south, and we enjoyed it!

But the bestest part was when hubby called me to look out the window — he had written in the snow with a golf club.

“Be My Valentine” and “I love you.”

Now, after almost 50 years of marriage, that was the best Valentine I have ever received!

I hope you had a romantic Valentine’s Day,too!

Related posts

• No related posts.

Guide Dogs for the Blind is a school for dogs and people. This is the second program I am reviewing as my husband and I consider a guide dog for him in the future. We do have a golden retriever, our second golden since Whitey lost his vision, but she is aging fast, and we may be ready for another dog. If we do get a third golden, it might be wise to get a dog who is trained to help the legally blind this time. Our goldens have been wonderful companions, but certainly with more intense training, they would have been even more helpful.

Guide Dogs for the Blind has no cost charged to the new owner. The dog, training, air travel, and room and board are all included. This school is located on the west coast, and since Whitey would be in school for 3 weeks, the distance might be prohibitive, but I am impressed with their website and their facility.

It was interesting too to learn that over 10,000 people across the United States use a guide dog. They do make the point that a guide dog is not a well trained pet, but a working animal. That makes sense to me. The dogs go through thousands of hours of training.

This is also where I learned that there are actually 12 schools accredited by the International Federation of Guide Dog Schools in the United States and still more in other countries. The difference in the schools appears to be in philosophy and training methods, as well as support after the training is complete.

As I look at the different schools, I am looking at cost, location, follow up help, and the general attitude toward the dogs and the people. It is amazing how much you can discover by reading a website — looking for those friendly, loving and caring phrases. I know that none of the web reviews will be the same as a true visit, but I am learning with these reviews,and perhaps we will make a more knowledgeable decision. I pray so.

You can donate to Guide Dogs for the Blind and donations are tax deductible. As with other programs I have reviewed, the Guide Dogs for the Blind program does not receive government aid.

Related posts

• Time for a Seeing Eye or Guide Dog? (6)
• Marriage is Teamwork (10)
• Legally Blind- It’s all about attitude! (15)
• Keep Your Sense of Humor – no matter what! (16)
• iPhone Accessibility for Seniors with Low Vision (3)