Latest news with #retiredlife
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
3 Underrated American Vacation Spots for Retirees
One of the great pleasures of retired life is that there's no real vacation season — except for when you want to go on vacation. Ah, but even as time works in your favor, there's still the matter of money. While you're by no means broke, a summer sojourn to Italy or a fall excursion to the Alps isn't in order. To save a few bucks, you'll have to stay closer to home. Check Out: Read Next: Which isn't to say you can't have a lot of fun. There are plenty of hot spots with some cool prices — and the best part is, not a lot of people know about them. Avoiding the crowds while relaxing and saving money? Sign us up! GOBankingRates found a few underrated vacation destinations that could be your next regular trip. Hot Springs, Arkansas Residents of Hot Springs, Arkansas, know that their cost of living is relatively low compared to the rest of the state, particularly when it comes to the cost of housing. Heck, many online publishers know it too, dubbing the town the most affordable small town in Arkansas. But you don't have to live there to benefit from that affordability — it transfers over to vacationers as well. Known for its natural and architectural beauty, as well as its great food, hiking trails and even bath houses, Hot Springs is an especially great vacation for outdoorsy people. If you go to Hot Springs National Park, you could even get an elite spa service after spending the day in nature. There's also the option to spend the day at Lake Ouachita, with its more than 700 miles of shoreline and 40,000 acres offering ample relaxation and adventure, including spear fishing and scuba diving. That's a lot of experiences for a relatively reasonable price. Budget Your Trip reports that past travelers have spent on average for one day about $90 on meals, $47 on local transportation and $199 on hotels. Explore More: St. Augustine, Florida This gorgeous city in the Sunshine State has a lot to offer retirees looking to soak up sun and culture without breaking the bank. This walkable historic district comes with a variety of fun, budget-friendly activities like gazing at the Spanish-style architecture and window shopping at the boutiques and galleries on St. George Street or visiting the beaches at Anatasia State Park, which come with free admission. Are you a big golf lover? Then you must visit The World Golf Hall of Fame. There's so much you can pack into one vacation at St. Augustine — and you don't have to spend a lot to do it. Expedia also has a plethora of travel packages to St. Augustine, some starting as low as $284 per person (depending on the date). Door County, Wisconsin If the great outdoors are your idea of a good time, you'd do well to visit Door County, Wisconsin, where you can find budget-conscious activities all year 'round. Summertime is the right time to explore the Great Lakes, enjoying prime camping and hiking. Fall abounds with festivals. And you don't have to hibernate in the winter when there's snowshoeing in a state park, as well as opportunities to go ice fishing. Springtime will let you shake off the winter cobwebs and go birdwatching before visiting the lighthouses or wandering on the beach. Focusing on outdoor activities and opting for smaller motels or even roughin' it at local campgrounds could help you save even more money. Staying in smaller towns like Ephraim or Fish Creek could also cut costs. If you browse for prices after Labor Day using Trivago, you can find hotel stays starting at $177 a night. More From GOBankingRates 5 Ways Trump Signing the GENIUS Act Could Impact Retirees5 Types of Cars Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying This article originally appeared on 3 Underrated American Vacation Spots for Retirees
CBC
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
This car has more than 1.2M km on it — and it's still going strong
If you were to spot Andy Campbell's ride on the road, you might not think too much about it. Maybe you'd think it's a bit dated — a throwback to an earlier time when cassette tapes were all the rage and backup cameras were just a glimmer in a car designer's eye. But if you took a closer look, you'd see that there's something special about Campbell's 1985 Toyota Tercel. It's not just that it runs perfectly, or that it's practically in mint condition. The only thing wrong with this Tercel is that the odometer doesn't go up high enough. It reads 253,070. But it's missing a one. As in, one million. This car has 1,253,070 kilometres on it — and counting. That's more than three times the distance to the moon, or enough kilometres to drive around the Earth 31 times. And Campbell has the photos to prove it. When it turned over from 999,999 kilometres to 000,000 kilometres in September 2017, he pulled over to the side of the road to snap some photos. Now, he keeps them in his glove compartment as proof in case there are any doubters. Campbell bought the '85 Tercel in Halifax around 1990, paying $2,500 for the vehicle with about 125,000 kilometres on it. Since then, he's used it as his daily driver, putting on at least 120 kilometres a day driving from his home in Wyses Corner, N.S., to Halifax and back each day of his working life. Now retired, he still uses it to run errands or boot around the Maritimes, or even as far afield as Newfoundland. Although the Tercel is old enough to qualify for antique plates, Campbell doesn't want them, as they would restrict his ability to use it for everyday purposes. "You go to a car show and the people drive the cars to the show and they polish it and take it home and put it in the garage and cover it over," he says. "That car is for me to use. If I gotta get up in a snowstorm and go to Halifax or Elmsdale or whatever it might be, I can go with it." His own best mechanic Over the years, nearly everything on the vehicle has been replaced or repaired, and Campbell says the only original part is likely the body, and even that has had work done on it. Aside from the front-end alignment, he does all the work himself, relying on his sizable stash of parts, most of which are no longer available from Toyota. He's got three more Tercels up on blocks at the back of his property, just in case he needs something. "It looks like junk and to most people, it probably is," he says. But to him, it's gold. He says the key to keeping a car running for a long time is to do regular maintenance such as oil changes and lubrication, and to undercoat the vehicle. A heated garage doesn't hurt, either, he says. Campbell acknowledges that Tercels have a reputation for being "rust buckets," but says his secret is to fill all of the crevices with grease. "They've got pumped every one of them right full." Backup ride If his Tercel is temporarily out of commission for maintenance, Campbell does have a backup. "Would you like to see my new car?" he asks. The garage door opens, and an identical Tercel pulls out. "This is my new one — '86," he says, grinning. Campbell says he's not really a car guy. He's not a Toyota guy, or even a Tercel guy. He's a his Tercel guy. He's passionate about his vehicle because it's practical, great in the snow, easy to maintain and cheap to operate. "Everybody can pass me on the road but I get to pass them at the service station," he says. Campbell is not the only Tercel long-hauler in the province. Jim George of Kentville also has an '85 Tercel, but it's a mere babe in the woods compared to Campbell's, with only 534,000 kilometres. The two men also know a third Tercel owner in Nova Scotia whose vehicle has over one million kilometres. George, who at one point owned 10 Tercels in varying states of roadworthiness, says the vehicles are often a conversation piece. "If you don't like talking to people, don't buy one," he says. Most of the stories George hears run along these lines: "My dad had one and handed it down to me when I went to school and me and my friends beat the living crap out of it. That's the biggest one. Everybody got the hand-me-down one." Campbell says strangers often stop to take photos of his car and share their own stories of long-gone Tercels. Sometimes, the tire-side chats come with an offer to buy Campbell's ride. "Not a chance. It's not for sale now, next week or ever," he says. "You can go to Halifax and pick the best car out in Halifax — Cadillac, Lincoln, Rolls Royce — and bring it out and I won't trade you. I don't want it."
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DEAR ABBY: Retiree is finally ready to make time for herself
DEAR ABBY: I have spent 40 years serving the public and my country, putting other people first and feeling guilty if I didn't. However, I am becoming resentful of the demands for my time. I'm retired, and my husband still works. We have always split the expenses 50-50, even though I make less than 40% of his income. Once I retired, my share of the household chores and errands increased from 75% to 90%. I wanted to make life easier for my husband, but now he expects me to run personal errands for him, too. All the wear and tear and gas usage is borne by my car, which is considerably older than his. I have a friend and walking partner who has been having different issues she needs help with. She has always talked about the close friends she has known for decades and sees regularly. They all live about 20 minutes away and are retired, in good health and able to drive. I offered her my help in the past, but now she and her friends think I should be her go-to person since I live closer to her than they do. I have my own schedule and routine now. I like having some days free to do what I feel like and not have to fulfil demands from others. How do I let people know MY time is valuable and discourage them from expecting me to help them? — TOO NICE AND HELPFUL DEAR TOO NICE: It is not a crime to tell someone you don't have time to do what they want you to do. It's time to sign up for some assertiveness training so you can learn how to say no. (No, I'm not kidding.) If you do as I suggest, it might even improve your marriage. Your doctor or health insurance company can refer you to someone qualified. DEAR ABBY: The floor I work on has a cluster of offices surrounding a central kitchen area. Fifteen of us share the appliances, including a hot water reservoir with a tap. The building is old and has lead pipes, so a service brings in large plastic bottles for a water cooler. Usually, whoever arrives first in the morning fills the tank on the water heater from the cooler, and we all use it to make hot drinks during the day. I just found out that a new employee has been filling the tank from the contaminated tap! When I asked her about it, she said that the microplastics in the water jugs were more dangerous than the lead in the pipes. She's very committed to this idea and is not going to budge. I don't think this is right. I will heat my own water from now on, but how should I warn the others in the office? The source of our tea water seems like a silly thing to start an office tiff over, but I also think people need to know their water is unsafe. — NOT DRINKING IN NEW YORK DEAR NOT DRINKING: I agree the employees in your office should know about this. At least they will be on notice about which 'poison' they are consuming. Report this to HR or your employer, so the announcement can come from on high and you can stay out of the line of fire. — Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
