Welcome to Starting New Starting Fresh, a community for thriving solo seniors. This blog is all about living our best simple life within our means and on our own terms. We’re rediscovering ourselves after 60. Peace. JoAnn
Reading and Your Aging Brain Health.
Preface: Have you ever thought about how reading can help keep your brain sharp and healthy as you age? It’s true! Just 30 minutes a day of reading—whether it’s a novel, a magazine, or even the back of a cereal box—can give your brain a workout. Whether you prefer fiction, non-fiction, a tablet, or an…
Simple Joys for Solo-Seniors: Budget-Friendly Comforts.
As we age, we realize life isn’t about expensive material things. It’s about being grateful for the things that matter to us. We trade the trend towards expensive items for simple joys that bring moments of pleasure. We’re mindful of our budgets and choosier and less materialistic to make life richer. Because living alone or…
Elevate Security with Fun and Positive Passwords.
Have you ever sat at your computer, fingers hovering over the keyboard as struggling to remember yet another password? It can be a frustrating challenge, especially when there are other things on your mind. But what if you typed in passwords that you could easily remember while keeping your accounts secure, and giving you a…
Stretching Your Pantry Food: Make 4 Meals with Minimal Ingredients Before Payday.
It’s 24 hours before your pension money is in the bank, your SNAP benefits refill or the food bank opens, and you’re looking at a nearly empty pantry. Your pantry could give Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboards a run for the money. We’ve all been there trying to stretch the small amount of food left to…
How Much Water Do You Drink? Tips for Staying Well Hydrated.
As we age, our bodies may not signal thirst as clearly as when we were younger. Meaning we need to be more mindful of our hydration needs as seniors. Are you drinking enough water every day to stay healthy? Let’s look at some simple strategies to make sure you’re staying hydrated and feeling healthy. According…
Make Your Grocery Dollars Go Further: 18 Practical Tips.
As solo seniors on a fixed income, we sometimes struggle to make ends meet. Money is tight. We know how hard it is to stretch every dollar. With rising costs of life’s essentials and unpredictable food prices, staying on a budget can feel impossible. In this blog post, we’ll share 18 tried and true ideas,…
How to Revive a Stale Baguette.
Have you ever reached for a baguette only to find it has become rock-hard? Don’t worry; reviving a stale baguette is quick and easy. We’ll show you two effective methods using the oven and microwave to bring your bone-dry bread back to life. Perfect for some cheesy garlic bread (recipe below), croutons, or chewy slices…
Strut don’t tiptoe.
Early one Sunday morning, while shopping for groceries, I overheard a young woman talking loudly on her phone. The store was quiet, and she was nearly shouting as she swiftly passed me, pounding her feet on the floor cruising fast down the same aisle where I was shopping. I couldn’t help overhearing her (loud) end…
Let Gratitude Help You Through A Bad Moment.
Every month on the blog, I publish a post listing a few things that make me grateful. I write my list as the month goes on. The gratitude list reminds me that while my life is like everyone else’s, not rainbows and unicorns, I can still find things to be thankful for even when things…
What Do You Carry In Your Purse?
When was the last time you looked at the contents of your purse? Are you carrying as much today as you did five or ten years ago? I don’t carry nearly as much as I once did. Four years ago, when Mom was still with us and going to dialysis, I had a large purse…