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💸Grandkids’ side-hustles | Alzheimer’s stats | Dating apps

💸Grandkids’ side-hustles | Alzheimer’s stats | Dating apps

Ronnie Mac James
November 6th, 2024

First time reading? Get your free free subscription here. This newsletter’s goal is the extinction of information overload for folks like me who are aged 55 & up. Easily unsubscribe below if you got here by some freak interwebs mishap.

Morning 55&UpSiders,

Here’s what I’m covering for you today in a flash…

A quick visual breakdown about a ‘busy’ grandfather’s record
Curated topics affecting us & Good News stories
Feature Story: Helping your grandkids with a side-hustle
Today’s Poll
Face The Facts (& do something about ’em)
Alternative solutions for our 55+ crowd

Record-Setting Grandfather

Samuel S. Mast (USA), aged 96, of Fryburg, Pennsylvania, set a world’s record for descendants. Check it out below.

Click to reveal the number of grandkids.

Curated Countdown

🕙  Walking Is So Awesome It’s Ridiculous (Infographic)

🕘  Get High On Volunteering (It’s Science Y’all)

🕗  Forest Bathing Bennies (Including Faster Healing)

🕖  Before You Pull Your Hair Out—Use These Tech Support Tips

🕕  Google Makes Airfare Cheaper?

🕔  4 Ways You Can Lose Social Security Benefits

🕓  Good News For Folks With Type 2 Diabetes

🕒  Meet New People By Dog Walking (Visual)

🕑  Bad Mood? Get Your Hands Dirty (Infographic)

🕐  “Headgames” Used On Us By Slot Machines (Video)

(👇Win “spelling error” contest at end of email👇)

Feature Story

Side-Hustles With The Grandkids

What’s this about? Grandparents may have all the right stuff to help a grandkid learn to run a tiny business by helping them start a side-hustle.

The problem is...

Many grandkids lack entrepreneurial skills & financial literacy
Youth unemployment rates remain high
Grandkids often struggle to save money for future goals

Why solving this problem's so dang tough

Generational gap in understanding modern business opportunities
Overprotective parenting limiting kids' independence
Schools rarely focus on entrepreneurship

7 organizations that can help you

How you can get involved to help

Share your business experience & wisdom with grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc.
Offer seed money or resources for their first venture
Help identify potential customers in your network or neighborhood

Roadblocks

Kids’ lack of time due to school & extracurricular stuff
Fear of failure or ridicule from peers
Parental concerns about safety & time management

Upsides & ways to beat roadblocks

Start small with manageable projects
Builds confidence & self-reliance in grandkids
Get the child’s best friend involved
Teach basic financial concepts like budgeting & profit margins
Strengthens intergenerational bonds through mentorship
Teaches life skills
Provides opportunity for extra income & savings
Celebrate successes & learn from failures together

5 takeaways

Help identify kids’ passions & skills that could become businesses
Failure holds lessons & can even become fun with low stakes
Many resources are available to get going
Work is part of life—this creates a natural way to mentor grandkids
You have wisdom worth sharing

True story on the topic

Grandma earns “Mom of the Month” award after helping her granddaughter start a side-hustle in the fourth grade.

“You can be an entrepreneur. You can work for yourself. You don’t have to have a ceiling on what you can make & what you can do.” Tolbert said.

Curated Countdown

Feature Story

Side-Hustles With The Grandkids

What’s this about? Grandparents may have all the right stuff to help a grandkid learn to run a tiny business by helping them start a side-hustle.

The problem is...

Many 55+ folks struggle to afford travel on fixed incomes
Traditional travel can be expensive, especially for longer trips
Lack of awareness about money-saving strategies for travelers our age

Why solving this problem's so dang tough

Generational gap in understanding modern business opportunities
Overprotective parenting limiting kids' independence
Schools rarely focus on entrepreneurship

7 organizations that can help you

How you can get involved to help

Share your business experience & wisdom with grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc.
Offer seed money or resources for their first venture
Help identify potential customers in your network or neighborhood

Roadblocks

Kids’ lack of time due to school & extracurricular stuff
Fear of failure or ridicule from peers
Parental concerns about safety & time management

Upsides & ways to beat roadblocks

Start small with manageable projects
Builds confidence & self-reliance in grandkids
Get the child’s best friend involved
Teach basic financial concepts like budgeting & profit margins
Strengthens intergenerational bonds through mentorship
Teaches life skills
Provides opportunity for extra income & savings
Celebrate successes & learn from failures together

5 takeaways

Help identify kids’ passions & skills that could become businesses
Failure holds lessons & can even become fun with low stakes
Many resources are available to get going
Work is part of life—this creates a natural way to mentor grandkids
You have wisdom worth sharing

True story on the topic

Grandma earns “Mom of the Month” award after helping her granddaughter start a side-hustle in the fourth grade.

“You can be an entrepreneur. You can work for yourself. You don’t have to have a ceiling on what you can make & what you can do.” Tolbert said.

Face The Facts (then punch ’em in the nose)

Know the facts so you can overcome or take advantage of them.

5) San Antonio, Texas leads nation in aging-friendly housing

4) Morning person tendencies increase with age

3) By 2030, about 20% of California's residents will be 65 or older

2) The number of Americans with Alzheimer's could reach 13 million by 2050

1) Florida's economy ranks as the 4th largest in the country

👊Let’s punch Alzheimer’s in the nose.

Hopeful research shows the following can help reduce risk of Alzheimer’s:

Eat less sugar
Be social
Quit smoking (smokers’ risk is 80% highers)
Choose a Mediterranean diet
Mix aerobic exercise with yoga

Alternative Solutions You May’ve Never Heard Of

Is the USA the best country on this galactic rock? Yep. That doesn’t mean older folks across the world can’t teach us how to age a little better & “get a little further down the road.”

How 55+ folks use dating apps in other countries.

Canada

Around 52% of Canadian seniors have tried dating apps—75% believe it's a good way to meet people
Popular platforms include 50Plus Club, JDate, & Christian Mingle
Canadian seniors are more focused on emotional connections versus casual dating

Sweden

Swedish seniors often prefer dating sites that focus on long-term relationships
Shared cultural values are important
Popular platforms in Sweden include eDarling & Motesplatsen

Brazil

Popular app BrazilCupid provides international dating options
Focus on faith-based matching
Cultural compatibility is key

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The upside’s always worth looking for,

Ronnie Mac James - Writer of 55 & UpSides

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