Fixed Income Tips - Craigslist for Seniors - Over 50 Clubs

Craigslist for Boomers: Over 50 Clubs and More
Sometimes it's easy for seniors and other Boomers to get the sense that they're the only ones dealing with issues like paying for healthcare, saving money for retirement, Medicare coverage, Medicare insurance supplement, and the countless other issues that don't really affect our younger family members, coworkers, and friends.

Of course, that is not the case. There are millions of people dealing with similar issues all over the United States. While there are several online sites dedicated to senior issues, it can be difficult to find exactly what you're looking for, and not all of them offer you the chance to communicate one-on-one with other seniors who are dealing with similar problems or who simply share your interests. That's where Craigslist comes in.

Craigslist Over 50 Clubs
Craigslist offers a range of tools and options for Boomers. One of the most effective tools is their Over 50 forums. These forums give you the chance to talk to other Boomers about a variety of subjects. Actually, you can carry on conversations online on just about any topic you like. Most of the cities covered on Craigslist have Over 50 clubs of their own (here is a link to the Austin Over 50 Club as an example), so you can connect with Boomers in your area. This makes the forums a great way to discuss local issues, find great Boomer-oriented entertainment in town, and much more.

It's easy to get started on one of these forums. Just create your handle, and start reading or posting. You can even search Boomer forums by keyword in order to get in on conversations regarding topics you're interested in. The long list of categories and forums is far too extensive to list in its entirety here, but you can find topics on everything from photography to frugal living to veganism to politics, and just about everything else in between.

Job Searches and Volunteering on Craigslist
Craigslist has also become a major source for job and volunteer opportunities for Boomers. Unemployed seniors have turned to Craigslist to track down a range of job openings in their specific cities, and seniors interested in spending their time doing volunteer work can find a number of local organizations in need of help (for instance, here is the San Francisco Volunteer Page). In fact, Craigslist has become such a popular job posting spot in the last few years that it's managed to alter the online job search landscape: One of the factors in the decline of job posting sites has been the boom of Craigslist. (from BoomersNextStep)

As with everything on Craigslist, it's important to maintain a level of safety when dealing with job postings. While the majority of postings are for legitimate openings, there are Craigslist job scams that have resulted in lost money and much worse for people in cities all over the U.S. While some of these scams are directed at Boomers, many are also targeted at young workers in need of a job, and many have no age discrimination whatsoever. The folks at Resume Bucket listed some of the most popular Craigslist job scams to look out for including the Excess Funds Scam, the Writing Samples Scam, Affiliate Link Swaps, and Pay to Play. As we said, Craigslist can be a great source for finding jobs, but it's always good to keep an eye out for the scams.

For Boomers looking to connect with other Boomers, interested in sharing their thoughts and concerns, wanting to chat with others about a particular hobby or beloved pastime, or in search of local employment or volunteer opportunities, Craigslist can serve as a catchall online source. With forums on a seemingly endless array off topics and localized searches, like Medicare Supplements, it makes it easy for Boomers to find what they're looking for.

10 Tips On Tenant Improvement Allowances

Tenant improvement allowances, funds provided by the landlord to improve office space, are becoming increasingly prevalent during landlord-tenant negotiations, and all companies should consider their role in creating an ideal office space. However, companies seeking to lease at least 5,000 square feet of Class A & B office space with a lease term of at least five years can exercise much greater leverage on the landlord and will typically find it easier to achieve many of the suggestions below. If in doubt, you should consult with a real estate broker to determine the feasibility of any specific item.

1. In today's economic environment, many landlords are providing and funding 100 percent of the building standard installations required by tenants.

2. Tenants should try to negotiate above-standard items, such as millwork, extra HVAC, large glass walls, plush carpeting or special lighting, to get them included in the tenant improvement allowance provided by the landlord.

3. When landlords refuse to fund all or a portion of above-standard items, tenants can try to amortize their cost into the rent over the term of the lease instead of paying out of pocket.

4. Funding above-standard work can also be achieved via negotiating tactics, for example, offering to decrease the quantity of free rent and increase the tenant improvement allowance instead.

5. We recommend tenants hire an architect to represent their interests and suggest a layout and design of the space to ensure tenant improvement allowances are put to the best possible use.

6. Tenants can avoid the need for a large tenant improvement allowance by touring many suites and finding one with a suitable existing configuration. However, we advise tenants to avoid compromising the amount of their tenant improvement allowance just to decrease the rental rate.

7. Landlords are providing generous tenant improvement allowances for new tenants, and tenants can use this as leverage even if they are only renewing, especially if they have occupied the space for the past five-to-ten years.

8. If landlords offer a specific dollar amount for a tenant improvement allowance, we advise tenants to negotiate an open-bid format, based on an expert review by their own architect, project manager or construction firm.

9. Many companies are using tenant improvement allowances to create more light in the workplace by adding glass in offices and conference rooms. From narrow, vertical side-windows to full walls of glass, natural light illuminates interior areas and provides sight-lines for workers to improve communications and productivity.

10. We always recommend tenants hire an architect to brainstorm about the best uses for tenant improvement allowances. Many companies are decreasing hard-walled offices in favor of flexible workstations and huddle rooms, small two-to-four person conference areas, to accommodate departments' changing needs.