RetireHub Daily — 3/18/24

It is Monday, March 18th, 2024

On this day in 1932, American writer John Updike—whose novels, short stories, and poems are known for their realistic but subtle depiction of “American, Protestant, small-town, middle-class” life—was born.

Deal of the Day

J. Crew Clearance — Up to 60% Off Everything

Right now J. Crew has a ton of men’s and women’s clothing on sale for up to 60% off. They’ve also been running sporadic additional promos recently, so there’s a good chance you can receive free shipping, additional discounts, and more!

• J. Crew Clearance — Up to 60% Off

RETIREHUB POLL

Yesterday’s Poll Results - What subject or skill do you want to learn or master?

Mastering a craft or trade was the top spot (44%) with learning a new language for travel coming in second with 31% of the vote!

Thanks to everyone who voted and commented!

Best of the Comments:

• “I like making things out of wood but wood is so expensive that I seldom can.”

• “I would like to learn simple pottery”

• “I have been a quilter for many years but am considering pottery craft.”

We had our artist depict RetireHub members doing some woodworking in their free time!

WHAT WE’RE READING

SENIOR LIVING NEWS

The Power of ZZZs: Navigating the World of Sleep Hygiene for Better Rest

It may come as a surprise to learn, but we still don’t have a good understanding of why we sleep or what actually goes on while we are sleeping. One theory holds that the brain needs to “clean house” and restore itself (recharging). Another suggests that sleep is an adaptive strategy for conserving energy and slowing metabolism. Still another, quite practical one, suggests that sleep is a strategy for not being eaten by other animals.

There is so much we don’t know. We don’t know how much sleep we actually need. When we observe different mammals, sleep can range from months (think hibernation), to nano-seconds. Humans seem to sleep more when they are younger, a bit less after adolescence, and then in differing amounts at the later stages of life.

• Read the Guide

What Is My Full Retirement Age (FRA) for Social Security?

It might be tempting to cash in your Social Security benefits as soon as you’re legally allowed, but there are lots of great reasons to wait until you reach full retirement age. And if you’re able to hold off until you turn 70—which is when you’ll stop accumulating benefits—you’ll see a big boost in your payout, which could make the rest of your years much more comfortable.

If you’re planning for retirement, you’ve probably come across the term “full retirement age.” Full retirement age refers to the age when you can collect 100% of your Social Security benefits. Full retirement age is determined by the year you were born. Check out this chart to see what your Social Security retirement age is:

• Read the Guide

LONGEVITY TIP OF THE DAY

Find a woman doctor — When Harvard researchers in 2016 analyzed Medicare records documenting more than 1.5 million hospitalizations over four years, they found that patients who received care from a female physician were more likely to survive and less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. In fact, about 32,000 fewer people would die each year “if male physicians achieved the same outcomes as female physicians,” the researchers said. Previous studies have suggested that female doctors are more likely to follow clinical guidelines and are more effective communicators.

SLANG WORD OF THE DAY

Word: Ghosting

Definition: This term is common in the earlier talking stages of a relationship. Ghosting someone means you start ignoring them or stop texting them back.

Used in a Sentence: “He was getting clingy and annoying so I had to ghost him.”

NEWS OF THE DAY

10-Year-old Raises $80,000 for Pearl Harbor Memorial After School Project Inspires Deep Admiration

The bean fields and mountains of North Carolina are 5 time zones and more than 5,000 miles from Hawai’i, but such differences are trifles compared to the determination of youth.

11-year-old Harrison Johnson from North Carolina has raised $81,000 to help fund history projects to tell the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The money was raised by collecting donations door-to-door, selling patriotic popsicles, and public speaking engagements (yes, by Harrison himself).

• …Read The Full Story

2-Year-Old Girl and Parents Use Parachute to Survive Plane Crash with 'Minor Cuts and Scratches'

A family of three — including a 2-year-old girl — survived a plane crash with only minor cuts and scratches Friday after their aircraft's parachute system lowered them to safety.

According to a release from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), the incident happened when the aircraft lost engine power about five minutes after take-off and descended into some trees near Whitethorn, California.

• …Read The Full Story

RETIREHUB TRIVIA

Our goal is to grow RetireHub to over 1 million members — with this, we’ll have the leverage to get even better discounts from the likes of Netflix, Amazon, and others.

Want to help? Simply forward this email to three friends below (we’ll track your referrals when they sign up).