A Helpful Reminder on the Power of a Budget
Every once in a while I like to bring in tips on setting a budget. It’s important to know what’s going out and what’s coming in. It’s important for households to be on the same page. I can say that with the pursuit of launching my own business, finances have been tight over the last 2 years in our house and we have had to revisit what we spend and where a number of times. My wife is amazing at tracking the ins and outs and we often have to get creative when considering the lifestyle we are looking to achieve versus the lifestyle we can live now. Budgeting has been helpful and empowering.
Here’s a post on www.thebalance.com that gives some pointers on establishing a budget. We may download the worksheet they recommend and run through it again and adjust as needed. The positives about having less income have presented themselves in many ways for us - knowing where the money goes, knowing what’s important versus nice to have, working towards common goals and finding creative ways to still deliver fun without spending the money. Nonetheless, we still are challenged and being on the same page helps.
Ageism in the Workplace - Not Necessarily Gender Skewed
A survey conducted by Fairygodboss, a career site for women, showed that there wasn’t a statistically significant difference between men and women regarding self reported exposure to ageism in the workplace. This is positive and in fact over 70% of respondents said they had not experienced ageism at all.
That said, there are some things that still pop up or fuel stereotypes (e.g., less tech savvy). But the data might be surprising to some who might consider this “less obvious” than one might theorize. 53% said they had NOT encountered negative stereotypes associated with aging at work.
As a researcher, I find myself wanting a better comparison set, one to note whether this is different for different age breaks etc. I wonder if millennials or gen X might make similar claims to negative stereotypes, etc.
Ageism is most often associated with our elder community, but it permeates our culture in many different ways and across generational divides. That’s why Generation Bridge exists - to combat stereotypes through community interaction and individual merit.
Three Things to Ask Yourself Before Filing for Social Security
Yahoo News posted a video discussing Kim Steinbrenner’s three simple questions to ask before filing for Social Security. It’s about 5 minutes and worth a listen if you’re currently contemplating retirement or applying for Social Security benefits.
-When to elect to take them (62, 65, 70?)
-Should I consider staying employed?
-How can I Maximize my benefit?
Perhaps 1 in 6 of Sandwich Generation at Breaking Point?
An article from the U.K. in Cover Magazine calls out research conducted that posts a finding that as many as 16% of those in the sandwich generation may feel they can’t cope with the stresses of their personal lives and responsibilities to employers or families, etc.
As a market researcher I love surveys but I also caution clients and readers about interpreting survey data. Big data often tells us what is happening “better” than survey research, but surveys should help to inform the “why” behind big data findings. I am cautious to go “all in” as the magazine does with the implication about an entire generation of people being at a breaking point.
That said, the findings in this research are interesting and represent real life feelings and opinions about some very difficult personal situations. As our demographics change though it is clear that culturally we are all going to need to consider ways to help people live up to their familial responsibilities AND still find fulfillment in their personal lives. I have some theories on ways (not easy) to help in that world so feel free to contact me if you are dealing with some of these stresses. The solutions are not flip of a switch solutions, but long term there are many ways to deal with the stresses differently and many resources out there to help people moving into caregiver roles and more. (Brian.sherwood@sherwoodenterprises.co).
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