Savings Bonds as Gifts

Have you checked out Savings Bonds recently? My goodness, I felt SO ignorant when I went to their site! I didn't realize that you can keep bonds electronically, plus keep track of their maturity and other information online. Well, I'm getting ahead of myself here...

I have long felt that Savings Bonds are a good idea for gifts, especially baby and children gifts. If you think about it...do babies REALLY need more toys at Birthdays and Christmas? Usually, unless it is a needy family, the answer is no. A gift that can provide for them in the future, and can be added to in the future would be a much more thoughtful gift in the long run.

If you consider, even if you buy the child a gift, also buy them a $10 or $20 (or whatever amount you wish) Savings Bond. If this is done for each occasion, the amount can really add up. Now, that is something the child will LOVE getting when they become adults! **Chances are, they are not even going to remember the toys you got them when they were little, but they will love that you got them Savings Bonds! Figure setting a goal of a $10 for Birthday, Christmas, and one other occasion a year. That is $30 in savings bonds each year. In ten years, that is $300, but there will also be interest accrued, so they will be worth more than that. It is like saving for their future.

Don't forget about grown children! Buy them a Bond for special occasions, and you are, in effect, adding or initiating their inheritance. I would urge you to just have a look at the site on Giving Savings Bonds as gifts, and give it some thought. I can't imagine you would be sorry you did!
 

Free Enterance into National Parks!

It is National Park Week! From April 16-24, Enterance into National Parks is FREE! This is one of only a few times a year that this offer is available. Here is a list for this year:

January 15-17




(Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday weekend)


April 16-24

(National Park Week)


June 21

(First day of summer)


September 24

(Public Lands Day)


November 11-13

(Veterans Day weekend
 
 I, for one, LOVE visiting the National Parks. They are all wonderful in their own way, and it is a good opportunity to take the kids/grandkids for a fun-filled mini holiday! (Tour fees are also waived)
 
This year, many of the National Park Concessioners are joining in the celebration. So far, the list is unimpressive on what they are offering, but if you care to look, see the infor HERE
 
Need to find a park, and start planning your holiday? Just check HERE
 
I truly hope many of you take advantage of this. Spring has sprung in many parts of the Nation, so it is a beautiful time of year to take a break and experience the beauty and nature of National Parks. I heard from a little birdie (My friend, Yellow Bird Woman, AKA Susan) that the bluebirds are back in the Black Hills and spring is making an appearance!
 
Pick a nearby park...or pick on a few hours away...and ENJOY!

17 Free Easter Recipes (Ebook)

Easter is almost upon us, and you know what that means...A feast! While we older women usually have our menu set, some of us like to do a little chance up once in a while and add or substitute somethng new. Younger women may like to add some of these to their traditional Easter dinners as a regular dish. There are some good ones;

• Orange Tangerine Mimosas
• Easter Ham with Peach Glaze
• Asparagus Casserole
• Blue Peep Pie
• Many, many more!

You can get this free eBook by clicking HERE

Be sure to let me know if you try any of these great recipes!

Half of All Senior Women Over 75 Live Alone

Even considering that many of these women may be relatively healthy, there are many concerns facing women who live alone at that age. Health and safety would top the list. Sadly, many of these women simply do not qualify for help, and many just do not want it.

There are several things which can be done to ease the pressure and worry not only for the woman living alone, but her family. You may not always be able to be there, but supplying a few necessities may be a huge help, financially, mentally and physically.

Beginning Monday, April 4, 2011, I will be providing some resources that may help those who live alone. Many of those women may very well be independent, but they are also vulnerable. There are services and programs which may help them to stay safe while living alone.

Where Seniors Spend their Money

On average, Seniors spend about the same as other individuals on electronics, food, cars and other everyday expenses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the senior household spends about $2416 on health care (compared to $1758 by the average household). Seniors spend $467 on drugs, whereas the average consumer spends $266.

The cost of even general health needs not covered by insurance , such as heat wraps for aches and pains, get to be quite costly for those over the age of 50. It's a natural part of aging, and yet, like so many issues concerning the older generation, it goes ignored by insurance companies.

People over the age of 50 comprise 37% of the adult  population. It is estimated that by 2015, 45% of the adult population will be over 50. Standards that applied with our parent's generation no longer apply. Business and government are going to have to wake up and smell the Ben Gay.

Those over 50 Spend a lot of Money

Hopefully, marketers will take heed! Last year, boomers spent $2.9 trillion as opposed to $3.3 trillion spent by those under 50. That is darn near an equal share, wouldn't you say? According to USA Today, there are 116 million Americans over the age of 50, and 182 million under that age.

No Fear Here! It was also pointed out that boomers spend just as much, if not more on tech products than the younger set. We may be slowing down, but we ain't finished! Next time you see a lil ole grandma sitting on the porch, watch her pound out on that iPad! Listen up, Marketers.

Been Learining a Lot about Blogs

This was my first real blog, but for a while, I concentrated more on another one. My mistake. It irks me to no end that there are thousands of blogs that concentrate on "mommy" bloggers. Well, what gives? Who do they think raised those mommies? lol. We did, that's who! Baby boomers make up the majority of people in the world right now, and our opinion counts. We spend the most amount of money on purchases, that includes purchases for our grandkids. Yet, we have a special set of needs that go along with aging, so there is information that applies to us more than the younger generation.

So....I'm baaaaaaaak. I've been learning a few things about marketing, and how to best set up a blog, and I am going to make this blog bigger and better than ever. There will be giveaways and contests, as well as helpful and fun information all geared towards Grandmas. Stay tuned, more soon!

Deal of the Day AND Great promotional opportunity!

Are you seeking new, fresh, fun ways to promote your business/website/blog? I think I may be able to help! The first time I saw these, I KNEW I had to have them. They are personalized fortune cookies, and you can write a special "fortune" that will be put into these delicious cookies! Imagine: "Your in for a healthy future at www.healthyxxxxx.com" or something that is in line with your website!


Right now, they have a tin with 24 chocolate dipped, personalized fortune cookies for only $19.95. CYBER MONDAY SPECIAL: Use Coupon Code CYBERMONDAY10 at checkout for your instant savings They are SURE to pique the interest and the fun quotient of your potential customer/reader. These are, fortunately, NOT your Father's business card! Check it out:

 

 If the link on the picture doesn't work, visit Fancy Fortune Cookies

These are SURE to be a hit with everyone you give them to!

Eco Outdoor Geek Gift Alert!

 I went out today to take Madame Teenager out to Office Max (Don't ask) and I noticed the streets were empty considering it was black Friday! Then "She" reminded me of the reason. Husker game today. Nothing, but nothing gets in the way of a televised Nebraska football game. They even broadcast it in the stores here. I love it here! Who else could go out on Black Friday and have no traffic headaches, no crowds, no spastic drivers trying to get to the store before everyone else. I love it I say!

What goodies do I have for you today? Hmm, well, in my search for the unique and functional, I found something that would be perfect for the people on your list who are either Geek, outdoor types or eco-maniacs (or all three!) These unique speakers fold out, like origami, but they are able to connect to ipods so that music can be shared wherever you happen to be! They really are something different, and functional. Voila, my work here is done! ;)

Outdoor Technology® Foldout Speakers - Mad Tree Science

Buy Now

Women's Tea Set w/Tea Made Especially For Women

 It's nice to come across things that are made by women and for women. Grandmas Online is about not only women finding their way online, but also creating and promoting products. Women are known for their generosity and naturally supportive natures. As an older woman, I see that females have come a long way in this world, but there are still women struggling to find or promote their goods or services, especially online. That, along with health tips, recipes and great deals, is what you will find here at Grandmas Online. I want this to be a place where you can come for sharing, and also a place where you can come to enhance yourself in some way.

That being said; I came across this tea set that includes not only the teapot and the infuser, but also a specially formulated tea created by a woman in Chicago. This tea has so many wonderful ingredients, including Rose Hips,  Fennel, Raspberry, Chamomile, Green tea, Red Clover, and more. Each one of these ingredients has health and beauty promoting benefits for women. Tea sets, in and of themselves, are a dime a dozen. A tea set AND tea made especially for women is a rarity. Oh, and the tea is chemical free. It's the real deal. It's called eSutra Womens Tea Set.
You can find this wonderful product here

Icy Hot~Unsolicited Review!

Several weeks ago, I had gotten a free sample in the mail for Icy-Hot XL medicated patches. I threw it in with some other samples I have and didn't think much about it, until the other day. As some of you know, I had double emergency surgery last January and have been having trouble ever since. I have a huge surgical wound hernia which is about the size of an 8 month fetus. Anyway, I took some Tylenol w/Codeine for that, but since I sit at the computer so many hours a day, my rights shoulder and down to my shoulder blades starts to hurt like the dickens. (Yes, even after I've taken a pain pill for the stomach)

Anyway, I was looking on my desk for something, and I saw the Icy Hot package in the sample box. I figured it couldn't hurt, so I tore it open and applied it. It took a little doing, since the pain was in an awkward place to be self-applying the patch, but I managed it. Within a MINUTE, I felt this cool relief that just swept over the area. I'm telling you, I was in heaven. If I could have, I would have put one over my entire body. It felt marvelous, and the pain was GONE! For about 7 hours after I applied it, there was no pain in my shoulder. None, Nada, Zilch. I have to admit that I didn't think this thing was going to do any good at all, but I was so pleasantly surprised. You can bet your bottom dollar that I WILL be buying some of these, probably a lot of them!

If you suffer from muscle or joint aches, and need good, over the counter relief, do yourself a favor and get Icy-Hot medicated patches. You will be amazed at how well they work!


 

Why I don't "Do" Black Friday

 

It seems every other post on the social networks lately has been about Black Friday. The biggest shopping day of the year, and in many instances, the biggest savings of the year. Well, on Black Friday, I'll be working on my holiday lenses and writings, and trying to find great deals to show you on my blogs. Why, you may ask, don't I participate in Black Friday?

I realize that with blogs, owners are supposed to be cheerful and upbeat, and I usually am! Even in the case of Black Friday, I think it's wonderful that businesses enjoy one day of sales unlike any other. I think it is wonderful that people save money on the items they want. I think it's great that a lot of people enjoy the thrill of the hunt. That, my friends is where it stops.

Too many times I have seen otherwise kind people actually fight for parking spaces. We are talking straight out of "Fried Green Tomatoes" here. TOWANDA! Only, it's not always funny. I have seen elderly people have to walk from the back of parking lots while young, healthy people take advantage  of the "good" spots. By the same token, I have seen handicapped people pushed out of the way so that someone could grab that last popular gaming system. One of the worse things I have encountered too many times is the crying young child who is dragged along through stores with his mother angrily saying "COME ON!" As a grandmother, I can tell you that this memory is going to be as important, if not more-so, than what they find on Christmas morning.

So, my friends, I will take advantage of Cyber Monday, but you all are welcome to Black Friday. If I may impart some advice to everyone braving the conditions on Friday; Relax, it's not the end of the world if you don't get exactly what you want. Saving money is not worth losing integrity and thoughtfulness. Are you eye-balling a gift, maybe the last one in stock, along with someone else? I would humbly suggest that you grab the gift, look at the other person, smile, and hand it over to them. Yes, you may lose a fantastic deal, but the feeling you will get may very well be a better start to the holiday season than Black Friday itself.

That being said, if you are going out on Black Friday, have fun, enjoy the hunt...but don't make it more than it is! Enjoy your day, regardless.

Deal of the Day for Sunday Nov 21

GLOB is an all natural paint that has many uses, the recipes for different types of things that can be made with them (play-doh, finger paints, etc.) comes in the package.

6 VIBRANT BOTANICAL COLORS (with organic extracts & fresh & fruity scents!): lemon verbena, blueberry, pomegranate, plum purple, tangerine and basil green. GLOB Natural Blends minimize manufacturing processes to reduce environmental impact—the dry powder pigments save weight and energy when shipped.The best thing is; kids and adults BOTH love them!

Buy Now

This is funny!

I was surfing around finding ways to improve my blogs and I snagged this right from blogger help:

Twas the Month Before Christmas...

Where does the time go between the end of September, and New Years? Zooooom, it's gone. It seems to go quicker the older I get. This year, it really has been flying by. Of course, the whole year until recently has been a blur. After the surgeries in January, I developed an infection. About 4 months into recovery, I suffered a surgical wound hernia. That has caused some real problems.Not the least of which is I look 8 months pregnant. Now, THAT has started a few conversations!

I should be able to have surgery to repair it sometime around the end of the year, or beginning of next. In the mean-time, the pain has been incredible. So much so that I have gone to the doc twice now requesting pain medication. That is SOOO not me!

On a happier note, I have been quite active with my writing. For those coming over from Thrifty Home, I began this lens out of inspiration through my fellow "lensmasters" at Squidoo. If you like to write, (and if you blog, you qualify!) and you have something to share, teach, or just write about, check out Squidoo. The community is very helpful, and if you need extra help, I and my fellow "squids" would be happy to offer assistance. You can check out some of my lenses by visitng my lensmaster bio. Squidoo is also a great partner with your blog. The link love is incredible!

It seems we "boomers" (not the Oklahoma type) have become quite prolific. The journey is incredible, and if I've learned anything, it's that in succeeding, it's not so much trying to be better than anyone else, it's trying to be as helpful as we can.

So, members of GO, meet the members of the Thrifty Home. Thrifty Home fans and friends, meet the GO team! There is so much we all have to share with each other, so let's get started!

Wow...the lines are crossed!

What an exciting week! I won a couple of give aways, and when I entered, I thought I was entering through my other blog Thrifty Home, but nooooooo, It was linked to this blog! Well, good excuse as any to get this one rolling again, no?

I feel so much better now that I know what is going on!

Be back soon!

Is anyone here?

What a hectic 12 months it has been. I had 2 emergency surgeries in Jan of 10 and I still haven't completely recovered. I have been very busy online lately and have some great things to share with you. Drop me a comment if you are still checking in here. If you are, many thanks...I'll try to make it worth your time!

Social Media (networking) burn out

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, and it has. Twitter, facebook, my space, Squidoo, PNN, Hub Pages, being a freelance writer, blogs and other commitments have just become too much. Of course, I'm not willing to give up my writing career and I'm too hooked on Squidoo to ever let that go, but I think it is time to back off of some of the other sites I frequent.

We've become slaves to social networking. We have to twitter every update, send a notice to all of our friends at FaceBook and so forth. Besides that, the "coaches" on the social networking sites are really starting to irk me. They sort of remind me of the twitter version of the Stepford Wives. Oh, Pooh, I'm getting too old for that. I believe in trying to stay positive but it takes a little rain to receive a rainbow, doesn't it? Anyway, that's where I am. I have picked up clients so I am very busy with work now. I think I am up to graduate on Rocket Moms and I'll be joining the new group Bonnie has going in September. Along with my blogs, I think that will be enough for a while. I have been sprucing up my older lenses some though. Just adding some of the new HTML I've learned and so forth. When it comes to networking, stay with what works. Personally, I think Squidoo is a great place to network, twitter, not so much. You'll have to determine what works for you and what doesn't and stick with that. Don't waste time on "social networking" that is getting you nowhere!

The best part of waking up...

If you can finish that sentence then you can probably understand how truly magical that first sip of coffee is when you wake up. No matter how much coffee you drink during the rest of the day, none of it will quite match that first sip. Unlike most people though, I begin my caffeine infusion in the wee hours of the morning while I am still working on articles and before I've even been to sleep. I'm an incurable insomniac so I've just adjusted to getting my work done at night.

I am astounded, even at this hour, how quiet it is here now. The teen is staying with a friend and Gina took the babies and left when I found out for sure she was pregnant and had been drinking all along. I haven't seen the babies since Mother's Day when I went to baby Jeffery's birthday party. (From which his mother was absent). I know, you are probably thinking "she's deaf, it's always quiet!" Well, not quite. I am about 80% deaf but there is no mistaking a two year old outside pounding on your bedroom door and yelling; "Gamma, nandy!" That would have been my Grand daughter Loveyah wanting in for her daily treat from my candy stash. Maybe quiet is the wrong word. It's empty. There is a part of me that wants to just put my head back and sigh, then relax and enjoy. There is that other part that just feels uneasy. All is not right in the world and I miss those babies. I miss the relationship I thought I had with their mother.

I have been parenting for over 30 years now and under the circumstances, an otherwise welcome retreat seems awkward and painful. I try to keep myself busy with work, Squidoo and article submission but as soon as I stop, my mind recalls the moments of being raised by alcoholic parents and knowing that my grand babies will be too unless something changes. Oddly enough, I don't drink.

It's nice being able to leave my bedroom door open without worrying that one of the babies will come in and get into things but all things considered, for me; the best part of waking up was seeing those precious faces of my grand kids.

Keeping busy

The next round of Giant Squids and Giant 100 Squids are coming up and I am working on that. I currently have 103 lenses and I am going through and trying to polish up some of the older ones with newer modules and updated information. I've also added a couple of new lenses.

As a challenge to keep my mind off of the family drama going on, I've also joined the 30 hubs in 30 days challenge at hubpages. My first hub for the challenge is Dammit Dolls. I think it turned out pretty well.

I have been writing more articles for dailyarticles and I also am checking out some constant content bids.

If you are not familiar with Squidoo-you should be. You can check it out here (it's fun, fast and free!) Squidoo