Life Events

Connecting with younger people is like a rejuvenating fountain of life for me.  Since many of us are fortunate to have children and grandchildren  nearby, we can enjoy being a part of their everyday life,  allowing us to share a special bond with them.
But some of us are restricted by the confines of chronology, and cut off from interaction with younger people. Small wonder that so many seniors retire to college towns. Being around younger people reminds me how thrilling it was when I was young—when the future was bright,

DOGE is considering sending all Americans $5,000 as a dividend on all the savings that have been achieved by firing, slashing and burning various government agencies.  My question is what will you do with your $5,000?
If it sounds too good to be true, see:https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-mulls-giving-americans-165329483.html

“Hi, I’m Chris”. That’s how it all began in early 2002. My friend Dave and I were hanging out of a hole in the wall of my duplex, installing a new window. Chris was the good looking neighbor girl. She thought Dave and I were a couple, he was actually my best bud, living with me and providing his carpenter skills in lieu of rent during some hard times.
By the end of the year I and Chris were a couple,

HumbleDollar’s eighth year is in the books—but it certainly wasn’t the year I expected.
In the weeks after my late May cancer diagnosis, I scaled back the newsletter from twice-weekly to weekly, while reducing the number of articles from a dozen each week to five or six. Meanwhile, I launched the Forum, so folks could post articles directly to the site, without any editing by me. In addition, I eliminated the site’s donation feature.

There aren’t many people left on my Christmas card list. it becomes shortened with each passing year, but for more than 50 years, we have received a card from someone I never met whose name is Ben Goldberg.
My husband retired 17 years ago and Ben is a man he worked with. Ben is not a Christian, but he sends a lovely card— no personal message, just signs his full name and that’s it. Somehow as strange as it might seem,

Living in a 55+ community, I have heard about some elderly residents who have issues regarding unpaid bills, delayed payments, losing money in scams, and investing in high risk stocks. These residents were financially very savvy a few years ago and now they have difficulty keeping up. In some cases, their children have started handling their finances.
 
An article ( ” Dollars and Dementia – An early warning system” in AARP Bulletin, December 2025 issue) points out this could be an early warning sign that their cognitive abilities are declining.

AFTER WATCHING MY wife bake a loaf of wheat bread, I thought I’d try making my mother’s cornbread. Luckily, I kept her recipe, along with those for some of her other delicious dishes.
My mother’s recipes can bring back cherished memories—like the time I visited my parents when they still had their dog. Brandy would always greet me when I walked in the front door. She’d jump up and down knowing I would give her a treat.

WE RECEIVED A PHOTO Christmas card from a guy I used to work with. The picture was taken at his daughter’s wedding, with my old colleague standing next to his wife, son and daughter-in-law. Picture perfect.
The only problem: His story isn’t picture perfect. When he and I first met, we worked in the same division at an insurance company. Right before the division was closed down, I transferred to a different department. Eventually,

One of HD’s newer authors, Alina Fisch has a great article about Bucket Lists, but it was something in her bio that really caught my attention. Alina is a fee only financial advisor focused on helping single and divorced women.
My experience with the subject comes from my own divorce, as well as a handful of my income tax clients who found themselves in that situation.
These women were all good people and loving moms whose marriages ended for a variety of reasons.

This has nothing to do with HD finances, but much to do with HD living.
Every six months or so we see newspaper or online articles questioning the value of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Some argue that it should never be implemented, while others say it should be permanent, with no changes. Others like it the way it is.
Before I retired, DST really had a minimal impact on me. Except for a short stint on a construction site,

Five months ago, I was loath to take any sort of medication. Today, I have a pillbox.
In fact, the way things are going, I fear I’ll soon be declared a superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency. A seemingly endless stream of chemicals pours into my body, most notably during my every-three-week chemo and immunotherapy sessions. What about the rest of the time? Depending on the day, I might down three or four pills in the morning and one or two in the afternoon.

FOUR MONTHS AGO, I was told I might have just a year to live. It’s been a whirlwind ever since.
I’ve been inundated with messages from acquaintances and readers, gone to countless medical appointments, my diagnosis has received a surprising amount of media attention, I’ve been hustling to organize my financial affairs, and Elaine and I have taken two trips.
Where do things stand today? Here’s what’s been going on.
Medical update. After three radiation treatments to zap the 10 cancerous lesions on my brain and an intense opening round of infusion sessions,

WE’VE ALL HEARD of the obscure relative—often a long-forgotten uncle or aunt—who leaves behind a surprise inheritance. This usually only happens in fairy tales, trashy novels and screwball comedy movies. I certainly never expected it to happen to me, especially at this late stage. But happen it did—from my lifelong friend Katie, who bequeathed me a generous sum.
I learned I was a beneficiary from the will’s executor and from a subsequent letter from the attorney handling the estate.

I’m 61 and I’ve got a year left to live, but I still plan to work every day (msn.com)
I think others might like to read this article & see some great pictures of Jonathan in his earlier years.

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone.
They say that one of the best financial decisions you can make, if you’re married, is to stay married. So I figure that gives me just enough of a hook to justify sharing on Humble Dollar why I celebrate today.
I met my wife Rosalinda for the first time…twice. In 1977, I was a 2nd year law student at the University of Texas in Austin. That spring I found myself spending another boring and tedious weekend studying at the UT law library.