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How to Track Your Favorite Shows Across Platforms
Trivia: Which U.S. politician delivered the 1952 “Checkers” speech defending his campaign finances?
RetireHub
October 08, 2025
Rise and shine, RetireHub community! ☀️ Your Wednesday newsletter is here!
Today we’re sharing fun tips on How to Track Your Favorite Shows Across Platforms, along with the best deals, fun trivia, and more!
Get cozy with some new lingo this fall: with bite-sized daily lessons built by 200+ experts, Babbel is the language learning platform that gets results.
Top Deals From Around The Web
We find the best daily online deals so you don’t have to!
🍎 24% OFF – Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 8.3-Inch Display)
Power and portability in one sleek package. The newest iPad Mini features Apple’s blazing-fast A17 Pro chip, a vibrant Liquid Retina display, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro—perfect for streaming, reading, or sketching on the go. Compact enough for travel, powerful enough for work.
🔋 41% OFF – Energizer Batteries Combo Pack (AA + AAA, 32 Count)
Stock up and stay powered! This bulk pack from Energizer includes both AA and AAA batteries—long-lasting, reliable, and ready for all your remotes, flashlights, and holiday gadgets. A household essential you’ll be glad you grabbed on sale.
🧴 20% OFF – SALT & STONE Antioxidant-Rich Body Wash (Natural, Hydrating Formula)
Give your shower routine a luxurious upgrade with this antioxidant-rich body wash. Infused with seaweed extract and hyaluronic acid, it gently cleanses while leaving skin soft, hydrated, and refreshed. Clean ingredients, subtle scent, spa-level feel.
What We’re Reading
Get these e-book deals before they’re gone.
 | By: Laura Langa A tongue-tied introvert, a too-charming newcomer, and one dating coach deal gone deliciously sideways—this witty seaside rom-com delivers sizzling kisses, heartfelt growth, and a twist that will leave readers swooning. |
 | By: Irina Shapiro Jamestown is a reality series where the contestants will live in 17th-century conditions for six months. The colonists are left without provisions or a way to reach the outside world. Tensions begin to mount—and bodies start to pile up. Each contestant has reason to fear since everyone hides a dangerous secret and might have motive to kill. |
Dear Joanne
Your questions, her wisdom — Joanne’s here with thoughtful advice, warm humor, and a listening ear for whatever’s on your mind.
Wow! What an amazing week of emails from such a wonderful group of readers! So many weight loss stories with all great ideas! One inspirational story came from a reader who has so far lost 140 pounds… reading that email took my breath away. Another email came from a reader who suffered a personal loss and afterwards gained quite a significant percentage of body weight. She is now only 18 pounds from her goal. I will be her biggest cheerleader. Once she gets to her goal, we will share her story as inspiration for all.
And, as one person wrote, just be happy with yourself. Best words to live by, don’t you agree?
This week, I would like to discuss the increase in the cost of living, where I believe we are all feeling pain. There are so many retirees these days looking for ways to save money and/or cut corners. I am no exception. The price of everything has gotten so out of control.
I myself try to be frugal without depriving myself of happiness. Being frugal doesn’t mean living without joy or cutting out everything that makes life comfortable. True frugality is about spending on what matters most and saving where it counts. I’ve listed a few simple, everyday habits that can help you stretch your dollars while still enjoying everyday life.
First and foremost is the cost of auto and home insurance. I look at my bill and keep thinking that it is a mistake. Do they think I have teenagers in the house? Does my husband have speeding tickets that I do not know about? Did we file claims that I do not remember? The answer to all of those questions is no, so what has gone wrong? For many of us, I think the answer may be that we have been lazy about the situation. I have had the same insurance company for MANY years without reviewing the costs line by line or by calling competitors and getting other quotes. I have vowed this year to call other insurance companies/agencies and get new quotes. I refuse to overpay any longer.
Secondly, before I buy something new, I am going to take a quick look around. Do I really need another pair of black shoes? Probably, but I will evaluate before I purchase. To my husband, that half-used can of paint in the garage might be perfect for a small project. Reusing, repurposing, and finishing what you already own saves money and reduces waste.
Being frugal isn’t always about buying the lowest-priced item; it’s about buying the best value. A quality jacket that lasts five winters beats a bargain one that rips after one season. Look for durability, repairability, and classic styles that don’t go out of fashion. My favorite code is a winter white car length coat that I have had for years. It never goes out of style, and it matches everything!
What I find hardest is not dining out as much as we used to. Dining out adds up fast. Even replacing two restaurant meals a week with home-cooked ones can save hundreds each month. I am not a great cook, so I depend on my husband for dinners that are edible, but he is a great sport and cooks most dinners.
We are also trying to streamline our house for a potential move if we decide to downsize. Another fault of mine is that I hate throwing anything away. What if I need it in the future?
So, we have decided if it’s sitting in a closet gathering dust, it might be worth cash. List unused items online or host a yard sale. You’ll earn a bit of extra money and feel lighter in the process.
We have also cut back on cable, subscriptions, streaming services, and automatic renewals. Many people (like me) pay for things they don’t use. Trim the fat — even saving $10 here and there adds up over the year.
Frugality doesn’t mean giving up fun — it means redefining it. Explore local parks, free concerts, community events, or simply invite friends over for coffee instead of dining out. Memories don’t have to cost money.
In the end, it’s about controlling your money so your money doesn’t control you. The goal isn’t to live cheaply — it’s to live wisely.
Do you have something you do that cuts out unwanted expenses? Feel free to share with the group. Email me at [email protected]. I love all of your emails and try to answer each and every one.
Have a great week everyone!
Ciao for now!
Joanne
How has the cost of living increases affected you this year? |
On this day in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire began—igniting in a small barn and quickly spreading through the city’s wooden buildings and high winds. The blaze raged for two days, destroying thousands of homes and leaving over 100,000 people homeless. Out of the ashes, Chicago rebuilt stronger than ever, sparking a new era of modern architecture and urban resilience.
How to Track Your Favorite Shows Across Platforms
Between Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and all the rest, it can feel like your favorite shows are scattered to the wind. Gone are the days when you could flip through channels and know what’s on tonight—now, new episodes drop at random hours, and half the fun is just remembering where to watch them. Luckily, there are simple ways to take back control of your watchlist and never miss an episode again.
1. Use a Universal Watchlist App
Apps like JustWatch, Reelgood, and TV Time act as central hubs for your streaming life. You can search for any show or movie and instantly see where it’s available—no more endless scrolling through different platforms. You can also mark what you’ve watched, get notified when new episodes drop, and even discover trending series across all major services.
2. Sync with Your Accounts
Many of these apps let you log in with your existing streaming subscriptions. That way, your personalized recommendations, watch history, and “continue watching” lists stay up to date automatically. It’s like having one master remote for your digital entertainment.
3. Set Calendar Alerts or Notifications
If you’re more old-school, you can create a simple watch calendar. Add premiere dates and reminder alerts for the shows you follow—whether in your phone’s calendar app or even a paper planner. It’s a surprisingly satisfying way to keep track and gives you something fun to look forward to each week.
4. Follow Your Favorites on Social Media
Networks and streaming platforms often announce new seasons and episode drops on their social channels before anywhere else. Following your favorite shows or actors can be a great way to get insider news, sneak peeks, and premiere dates in real time.
5. Make It Social
Half the joy of television is sharing it! Apps like TV Time and Trakt let you compare watchlists with friends, rate episodes, and swap recommendations. You’ll not only stay current—you’ll never run out of conversation starters for your next group chat or family dinner.
In a world overflowing with streaming choices, staying organized is the new superpower. Whether you use a slick tracking app or a handwritten list on the fridge, a little planning helps make sure you spend more time watching and less time searching.
How Do You Keep Track of Your Shows? |
Yesterday’s Poll Results: How Do You Feel About Filling Out Online Forms?
Looks like most readers have mastered the online form game—nearly half said they feel confident and comfortable filling them out! Still, a good portion admitted they could use a little help or find certain forms confusing. And honestly, who hasn’t stared down a tricky dropdown menu or password reset page? The takeaway: while technology can still test our patience, most of us are getting pretty savvy at navigating the digital paperwork of modern life.
TOP COMMENTS
“Utilizing digital forms can be convenient and fast when implemented properly. The frustration arises when a company hasn't adequately prepared on their end to ensure ease of use for the consumer. You go through all the steps to set up an account, only to find that their system is confusing or difficult to navigate.”
“Often use words that I do not associate with the action intended”
“Having been in real estate for many years, I was there when digital signatures were first allowed. Learning how to use the forms was part of my job. And now I'm a wizard at it. I love it. The only exception might be that sometimes I wish I had hard copies”
Break the Pattern: Why We Inherit More Than Looks — and How We Can Change It
This article explores how emotional habits and coping styles—what the author calls “family patterns”—can pass silently from one generation to the next. It’s not about blame, but awareness: the things we learned from our parents or grandparents—how they showed love, handled anger, managed silence, or expressed care—often become our default way of acting, even when they no longer serve us.
The author shares a personal example: realizing that a phrase she’d used with her son had origins in her mother’s voice, and her mother’s mother before her. That discovery opened the door to change. Research backs her up—attachment styles and relational habits often carry forward unless intentionally interrupted.
But the article is hopeful. At any age—even in later life—you can break the chain. The brain is capable of change thanks to neuroplasticity. The author outlines three concrete steps:
Name it out loud — say, “That sounds like something Mom used to say,” so you can separate your voice from theirs.
Repair fast — apologize or clarify immediately when old words or reactions slip through.
Choose one different thing — respond in a new way, even if just once: show softness, set a boundary, validate a feeling.
By stopping one damaging pattern now, you give your children and grandchildren room to build their own healthier patterns—not because the past was villainous, but because you can now bring your wisdom to what comes next.
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Slang Phrase of the Day
Phrase: Joyscape
Meaning: A personal landscape of joy — the places, people, activities, and memories that bring you genuine happiness and peace. It’s the emotional “map” of where your joy lives, whether that’s a morning walk, a favorite song, or time spent with loved ones.
In a sentence: “Since retiring, I’ve been creating my own joyscape—morning coffee on the porch, tending my garden, and phone calls with old friends who always make me laugh.”
Good News of the Day
A 650-Year-Old Shoe Found in a Vulture’s Nest Tells an Extraordinary Story
Scientists in southern Spain have uncovered a 650-year-old woven grass sandal hidden inside a bearded vulture’s nest—along with dozens of other human-made relics. The find sheds light on how these birds, known for reusing the same cliffside nests for generations, have unintentionally created natural time capsules.
Inside the nests, researchers discovered leather scraps, cloth, basketry materials, and even a crossbow bolt—objects likely scavenged from medieval settlements centuries ago. The cool, dry caves preserved the items remarkably well, offering rare clues about daily human life during the Middle Ages.
What began as a study of bird behavior has turned into a glimpse of living history, revealing that sometimes, the keepers of the past aren’t people at all—but the creatures who share our world.
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RetireHub Trivia
Want more trivia? Play our “Nostalgia Trivia Game” on our site! We add fresh questions daily, so there’s always something new to test your knowledge.
Not into trivia? No worries! We’ve got plenty of other fun games to enjoy, like:
Which New Guinea bird is known to carry the toxin batrachotoxin in its feathers, making it poisonous to touch? |
Which European microstate uniquely has two co-princes: the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell (Spain)? |
Which U.S. politician delivered the 1952 “Checkers” speech defending his campaign finances? |
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- Jay
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