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In January 2003, I decided to start producing a periodic newsletter "Retirement Tips and RV Stuff". Below, you'll find a copy of the newsletters to date. If you'd like to get on the distribution for the next newsletter, send me email at rjhoffman@yahoo.com.
I've been told by some of you that your Spam-stopper throws my website emails into your Spam bin because of the large number on the distribution. To help me out, please reply to this email so I'll know you're receiving it. THANKS!
I've decided that I'm going to send a newsletter periodically, in place of those emails you've been receiving announcing website updates. My plan is to keep them brief and not too frequent -- I expect they'll be monthly or so. I hope you find them useful and entertaining.
- I recently got some info on how to get prescriptions cheaper from Canada through the mail. I've added that to the Mexican prescriptions info in my Travel Log at http://www.retirement-tips.com/RetireCurrent04a.html
- On my last trip to the Sterling Casino ship at Port Canaveral, I noticed a nice RV park within walking distance of the ship. Read about the trip, my unsuccess at the tables, and the campground at http://www.retirement-tips.com/RetireCurrent47.html
- Instead of the hundreds or even thousands charged by most, I've decided to build websites for $50. Why so cheap? -- I enjoy building them and I'm trying to build a business. If you or any acquaintances would like to have a presence on the world-wide internet, either for personal or business, check out my websites listed at http://www.robert-hoffman-consulting.com/
- I recently purchased "How to Break in as a Mystery Shopper", one of the $12.95 Dream-Jobs-to-Go books for my wife, Joyce. She loves to shop and I thought she might find the book interesting. She did! She tells me the book gives valuable info on what a mystery shopper is, how to start, what to avoid, and points you to websites where you can sign up and start getting paid to shop!
- I also purchased Coleen Sykora's "How to Get a Life by Living Full-Time in a Recreational Vehicle", a Dream-Lifestyles-to-Go book. I found it to contain great basic instructions for someone thinking about adopting this life-style, as well as several Q&A sessions with people who have been full-time RVers for several years.
- Since I don't like advertising anything that I haven't tried, I decided to spend the $25.90 to check out one of the video tapes shown on my website (that's $19.95 for the tape and $5.95 shipping). I got "Discover America By RV" with Shirley Slater and Harry Basch. I thought it was a fantastic tape! It showed some neat places and things to see in about a dozen states from Maine to Florida to Alaska, some positively beautiful scenery, and useful RVing tips sprinkled throughout. I'd recommend it highly if you're planning an extended USA trip or if you'd just like to dream about one.
My biggest thing this month is the incorporation of my business. I've done this for several reasons, but mainly for tax purposes. I've learned a few interesting facts that may be of use to any of you that have a business or are about to start one.
I've had a business of one kind or another almost continuously since I got into a pest control business in 1974. After incorporating a couple of times, I decided that proprietorships were a much better idea. This was true when I had a full-time day job, since I could claim the losses of the business against my day job income. For a number of reasons, however, I've decided that incorporating is a better idea when you're retired and making money through your own business instead of on W-2s. One good reason is that a corporation can pay $10,000 of medical and dental expenses for employees, then claim the amount as a deductible business expense. This includes all those co-pays, prescription costs, eye glasses, etc. For any business, incorporated or not, medical insurance is 100% deductible. Another point, if you're drawing Social Security and you're under age 65, income of the business doesn't count against your personal income, which is limited to $900 per month before they start taking your Social Security pay away from you. This is only true if you're not the President of the Corporation. The bad news is that corporations pay 35% income tax, so you'll need to get a good accountant who can help you handle that problem.
On a lighter note, I've been toying with another idea. Not sure if I'll follow-up or not, but here it is. I've been working fewer hours recently, so I've got more time to travel and less money to pay for it. I've been wondering if there are people out there who might like to try RV travel, but don't want to invest in an RV. What if I supply the RV (and driver) and they pay for the gas? I guess it would depend on where they wanted to go, how long they wanted to stay, and whether we could get along together in an RV. Comments?
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Email rjhoffman@yahoo.com to sign up for the next newsletter, coming whenever I'm in the mood again.
I plan to put out a newsletter approximately monthly, or whenever I've got a bunch of interesting (to me) things to talk about. Well, now's the time for both! It's a new month and I've got alot to talk about. Hope you find my topics helpful -- or at least entertaining. Topics addressed below include: a new name for the Retirement-Tips website, globs of traffic on my first book, info updates on the InternetOnTheRoad website, Scoffing at Viruses and Backups, 10 Things You Need Before You Get Into Your RV, and other general stuff. If it's too long to read in the email, go read it at - http://www.retirement-tips.com/newsletters.html.
After putting out the newsletter in January, I decided to change my website name to "Retirement Tips and RV Stuff" -- I started out in 1999 planning to talk mostly about retirement, but have ended up saying equally as much about RVing. Although Retirement=RV to me, that obviously isn't the case for most of you. My survey results surprised me -- turns out many of you aren't retired yet, but may be into RVing. Thus the change. Address is still retirement-tips.com, but I'm working on the rvstuff part.
Wow! I have a traffic monitor on my website that I check now and then to see who's going where, for how long, etc. Yesterday, I was wandering thru the numbers and really got a surprise! My book "Retire and Travel for $1000 a Month" that's included in it's entirety on the site, usually gets 5-15 hits per day. On February 9th, it got over 300! At first I thought the site stats program had blown its mind, but then I traced down the source of the hits. It seems that Chuck Woodbury (author of two of the books on my library page) puts out a newsletter weekly and appears to have hundreds of avid readers. In Issue #45 (http://www.rvtraveler.com/issue45.html), he mentioned my book to his readers and here they came! How he manages a newsletter weekly with that many readers is amazing to me! Thanks to Chuck for the reference. Hope his readers enjoy my book and my website.
- I found a second website where you can get prescriptions cheaper from Canada through the mail. I've added that to the Mexican prescriptions info in my Travel Log at http://www.retirement-tips.com/RetireCurrent04a.html
- I've created a Retirement Tips and RV Stuff Library, where you'll find books and video tapes that will be helpful to you in simplifying your retirement, working in retirement, RV travel, etc. Go to http://www.retirement-tips.com/Library.html
- I've decided to help out a few friends by putting their RVs on my Used RV Sales page. Only one there now, but I expect to have more in the near future. Check them out at: http://www.retirement-tips.com/RVsales01.html
- Instead of the hundreds or even thousands charged by most, I've decided to build websites for $50. Why so cheap? -- I enjoy building them and I'm trying to build a business. If you or any acquaintances would like to have a presence on the world-wide internet, either for personal or business, check out my websites listed at http://www.robert-hoffman-consulting.com/
- I recently purchased "How to Get a Life By Living a Simple and Frugal Lifestyle", one of the $12.95 Dream-Lifestyles-to-Go books. I've sort of been aiming at something like a simple and frugal lifestyle, since I retired early, and wondered what someone else had to say about it. I found the book to have a few good ideas that I hadn't thought of, but I generally found it to be a little depressing and somewhat extreme in some areas. hahaha -- I suppose some readers think the same thing about my "Retire and Travel for $1000 a Month" book -- I know my wife did.
- I also purchased "How to Break In as a Travel Writer", a Dream-Jobs-to-Go book. The book has a comprehensive list of sources for writers to get information on publishers, etc. It's mainly aimed at those planning to break into the field thru magazine and newspaper articles. I guess my approach of planning a book right off the bat may be unrealistic, but that's going to be my approach. I also noted that the author's examples were all people with formal journalism training. hmm .. maybe I'm way off, thinking I can be a travel writer. Time will tell -- I plan to put out a "20 years after" update to my "Retire and Travel ... " book in 2004.
My biggest thing this month has been trying to recover from a virus attack on my old laptop. I've generally been a scoffer at the whole virus scare, as well as the continuing reminders to back-up disk files. I've been working/playing with computers since 1968 and we didn't even have viruses then! .. hahaha .. we do now! Without going into great details, I'll just say it seems I was attacked by someone who stuck a file Brasil.exe on my disk, then I got into something called the Sirc32 virus, then ... I've reloaded the operating system and done a bunch of other things, so now the computer will at least start (with some help from me). I'm looking around for the right (read that as cheap) virus detection program. I recommend you get one if you don't have one already.
After the virus problem, I started thinking about my lack of backups. I checked around and learned that CD burners are alot cheaper than they used to be. I got one and have actually backed up many of my files!
For those of you who asked, I'm still "toying" with the idea of offering my RV (with me driving) to anyone who wants to travel the USA, but doesn't want to buy or rent their own RV. My plan is to let them plan the trip and buy the gas, then I'll pay for camping and whatever problems the RV might have. I've had a large number of opinions, both pro and con, and am still pondering. Email me if you'd like to go somewhere interesting -- maybe you'll prod me into making a decision.
Almost forgot -- I promised 10 Things You Need Before You Get Into Your RV -- hmmm.. it's late, I'm tired, and this newsletter is getting too long. Maybe I'll do a webpage on the topic. Things I'm thinking of include: Passport America membership, laptop, national ISP, national medical insurance, flashlite, cellphone with free long distance & roaming, motor club membership -- that's 7. I'll try to get something on this before next newsletter -- sorry about that -- keep the home-fires burning.
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Email rjhoffman@yahoo.com to sign up for the next newsletter, coming whenever I'm in the mood again.
Here is it the 22nd and I really don't have anything spectacular to chat about. It's really been a rather quiet month, unless you count the war. Our concern and admiration go out to all those currently taking part in the war, and to their families waiting anxiously back home.
I guess the biggest thing around the Hoffman RV has been the addition of another dog. We now have four -- if you know anyone who lost a dog in Southern Alabama recently, have them check out our dogs page: http://retirementtips.homestead.com/Dogs.html to see if this is their dog.
The major topics below deal with changes I've made to the Retirement Tips and RV Stuff website. No book reviews this month, since I didn't buy nor read any. Maybe I'll have some thoughts before I get down to the Ramblings section. If this is too long to read in the email, go read it at - http://www.retirement-tips.com/newsletters.html.
- How to Recognize a Scam -- I guess there are several sites out there that purport to debunk current online scams, but the best I've seen is http://www.snopes.com/ for quickly determining what's true and what's not. My most recent incursion to the Snopes site was to evaluate an email I received about only buying gasoline from vendors that don't buy Middle East oil. Snopes told me it was another of those Urban Email Legends. But, a REALLY BIG SURPRISE -- he also says that the story about cellphones causing fires at gas pumps is a JOKE! How about that? Surely surprised me! Especially after seeing signs on gas pumps warning us to turn off our cell phones while pumping -- seems like someone didn't read Snopes .. :)
- I don't mean to keep beating on the cheap prescriptions drum, but I bumped into some more info. I've added informed opinions on the legality and advisability of buying Mexican drugs from the RVersOnline site and the People's Guide to Mexico site on my http://retirementtips.homestead.com/RetireCurrent04a.html page.
- Finally, I got around to defining what I consider to be the Top Ten Things You Need For RV Travel. I dare you to come up with something more important than the 10 on page http://retirementtips.homestead.com/RVingTopTen.html ;-)
- Instead of the hundreds or even thousands charged by most, I've decided to build websites for $50. Why so cheap? -- I enjoy building them and I'm trying to build a business. If you or any acquaintances would like to have a presence on the world-wide internet, either for personal or business, check out my websites listed at http://www.robert-hoffman-consulting.com/
- As I said above, I didn't buy nor read any books this month. Someone, however, was good enough to buy a book through my website! Quite exciting -- would you believe that's the first one and I've had the ads out there for several months and have had over 300 visitors? Guess that says something about the value of building a website to sell products .. LOL. Whoever purchased How to Get Free Books (and Maybe Even Get Paid!) as a Book Reviewer by Deborah Bouziden, feel free to send me a review on it if you like and I'll publish it in my next newsletter.
I'm really glad I decided to spend my winters in Florida after retirement. I recommend it to anyone who's looking. I've spent time in Arizona -- found it too dusty and not warm enough. I've spent time in Texas -- the only really warm part is South Texas and there ain't much there. I've spent time in California -- Wow! Way too expensive and crowded. Some find Florida too humid, but I guess I don't find that to be a problem unless you're forced to work outside in the heat of the day, which I'm not. Some say they find it too crowded with all the "snow-birds" down here -- that's true for South Florida, but the central part doesn't seem to have nearly the crowds that they have from about Boca Raton southward. Some say it's too expensive, but I've found the central East coast to be significantly cheaper than most near-the-coast, nice-temperature locations elsewhere in the country.
During the last couple of weeks of February and early March, we found it necessary to be in Northern Alabama. Still considered part of the South, but way too cold and dreary for my taste. Even though I've lived around Alabama off and on for over 20 years, I had really forgotten how dreary it is with no leaves on the trees, overcast skies most days, and temperatures in the 20s and 30s at night -- eewww. I surely couldn't envision myself spending winters anywhere North of there. I guess I wonder why people who are retired and can live anywhere still continue to live in the cold northland where they had lived prior to retirement. I've got uncles in Minnesota who've been retired for years and still live on in that cold, dreary place. They tell me they stay there to be close to family and friends. hmmm ... guess I'm not close enough to anyone to pull me into that kind of weather .. and snow?
If anyone ever asks you where's a good place to spend your retirement winters, tell'm Florida! That's all the ramblings I've got at the moment. Not too exciting, but what really is these days?
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Email rjhoffman@yahoo.com to sign up for the next newsletter, coming whenever I'm in the mood again.
How many remember "Happy Days Are Here Again"? Judging by my survey results, I'd guess about 40% of you. For those who don't, that was the popular song when the war (WW II) was over, Roosevelt was in his third term, the Government was subsidizing programs to put unemployed back to work, and the future looked really bright. Of course, I was only 5, so it's not real clear in my memory, either.
Well, I guess that's a little about the way now feels to me. The war (much shorter than WW II, but much more public) is over, the bad guys appear to be getting caught one-by-one, the stock market appeeears to be rallying, the economy miiiight be approaching recovery, and the future looks alot brighter (to me, anyway) than it has for quite some time. Whadya think? Am I right? Sure .. they still haven't found a cure for SARS yet and we might attack Syria any day now .. or Iran .. or Korea .. but life ain't perfect.
Who knows ... I'm often more optimistic than is realistic. I just got back from the casinos in Tunica, where I left a winner -- making this about the third time that's happened! ... not counting my recent casino ship failure. Read about the casino ship in my Travel Log, Chapter 47, "Cruisin' the Coast", and the recent Tunica trip in Chapter 48, "How I Spent My Easter Vacation." ... and I've got another fishing trip off the Florida coast planned next week, so maybe I'm just feeling good .. whatever ... hope things are well with all of you.
HAHAHA .. guess my memory is worse than I thought. I just went to check my Happy Days story -- ALL WRONG! If you want to hear the song, go to http://www.smickandsmodoo.com/aaa/lyrics/happyday.htm. To read all about it, there's a website that tells all about the Hits of 1930 (http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Sept02/1930.htm) -- THAT'S RIGHT, 1930! Stock market crash in '29, depression kicking in, what a dumb time for that song! I like my story above alot better, so I'm sticking with it.
Some of the topics below deal with changes I've made to the Retirement Tips and RV Stuff website and some are on the Internet on the Road website. I took advantage of the buy 2, get 3 free book deal, so you'll find some new book reviews below. I even stuck in a few movie reviews just for the heckofit. As usual, I don't know what I'll write in my Ramblings section, but I'll think of something before I get there.
Since I changed the website name to Retirement Tips and RV Stuff in January, I've been thinking about website addresses. I've still got Retirement-Tips.com, I'm trying to get RetirementTips.com, and I just got RetirementTipsandRVStuff.com. I also am in touch with the owner of RVstuff.com, trying to convince him to hook his name to my site. Why all the choices? hmmm .. dunno. Just seems like a reasonable thing to do. I guess I want to pick up all the traffic I can, just in case I figure out how to make money off all you viewers someday.
Real Bottom Line: All the names actually lead to http://www.retirementtips.homestead.com/, which is the server I use, so all those other names are just for prestige .. or preference .. or confusion .. or whatever.
- How to Protect Your Identity: I received this through email a while back and though I can't vouch for the original source of the information, I do know that it is solid advice nonetheless. I thought I would pass it on. It provides some suggestions on how to foil someone intent on stealing your identity. http://retirementtips.homestead.com/IdentityProtect.html
- Making Reservations at Federal and State Parks: I bumped into a website that's really great for this! It actually shows a map of the campground and a record of dates when each campsite is available. Click on the ReserveAmerica logo on my links page at http://retirementtips.homestead.com/RetireLinks.html
- What's Up? Last month I said "Finally, I got around to defining what I consider to be the Top Ten Things You Need For RV Travel. I dare you to come up with something more important than the 10 on page http://retirementtips.homestead.com/RVingTopTen.html ;-)" thinking someone would pop up and give me some better ones. Nobody took the dare .. either no better ideas or nobody cares that much about the topic .. hmmm.
- Internet by Satellite: One of my readers sent me some info on a satellite system that requires no phone connection. If you've got a bundle to spend ($7000 installation and $100 monthly) or if you're just curious, you can find out all about these satellite connections at http://www.internetontheroad.com/IOTRallfunctions.html
- Speaking of Internet-On-The-Road, do you have questions about how to get online while your travelling? I set up a test to determine what you need to do what you want to do -- check it out at http://www.internetontheroad.com/IOTRtest.html
- New pictures on the "Cool and Unusual RVs and Stuff" page - just click the button of the same name on the Retirement Tips home page. This month I've added some photos of a motor home I saw with 4 slide-outs! And included a reference to a Fifth Wheel with 5!
New this month -- a list of some interesting things, some of which will make me a few bucks if you need them and buy them here:
- Dream Lifestyles to Go! Great electronic books for $12.95 that download to your computer immediately. All about How to Get a Life By .... whatever .. you fill in the blank. Check them out at http://www.dreamjobstogo.com/titles/dltg0005.html?11120
- Camp at Half of What Everyone Else is Paying! No home park, no monthly maintenance fees, no long-term obligation, just pay the small annual fee and camp for half-price. Check it out at http://www.passportamerica.com/default.asp?net_id=Rob40
- Dream Jobs to Go! Great electronic books for $12.95 that download to your computer immediately. All about How To Get Break Into ... whatever is your dream job. Check them out at http://www.dreamjobstogo.com/titles/djtg0051.html?11120
- $50 Websites! Instead of the hundreds or even thousands charged by most, I've decided to build websites for $50. Why so cheap? -- I enjoy building them and I'm trying to build a business. If you or any acquaintances would like to have a presence on the world-wide internet, either for personal or business, check out my websites listed at http://www.robert-hoffman-consulting.com/
- I recently purchased 2 of those $12.95 Dream-Jobs-to-Go books, then got 3 more free with the special they are running until 4/25. Last night I read How To Break Into Casino Jobs and really enjoyed it. If you think you might like a casino job, this book is a great resource for you. It gives enough detail to help decide if it's really for you -- salary, conditions, pros, cons, types of jobs, etc. Also contains many great links to related sites -- everything from Gambling Magazine to Things You Need To Know About Las Vegas to schools that teach casino skills. GO TO MY LIBRARY TO READ ABOUT THE BOOK SPECIALS BEFORE APRIL 25TH!
- THESE ARE NOT IN MY LIBRARY: I finally got my laptop DVD working this week and watched 3 movies, so thought I'd throw in those reviews here also: 1) Monsters, Inc.: A cutesy cartoon for kids that shows the world from the "monsters" point of view. I'd give it a 5 on entertainment value ... and I no longer have to sleep with a nightlight! 2) Spiderman : Tells the story of the well-known comic book character. Probably very entertaining for those who follow his comic book adventures. That's not me, but I'd give it a 7 for entertainment value anyway. 3) We Were Soldiers : A very realistic portrayal (with Mel Gibson) of the Viet Nam war, with all of its gore and frustrations. First time in awhile that I've seen a tear-jerker with no romance involved. It really made me glad I was able to avoid that Vacation to Nam that the Government suggested to me in the '60s. I'd give this movie an 8.
Well, I've got several ideas on topics I'd like to prattle on about, but this newsletter has gotten too long already. I'll leave AdZapper, AdAware, and Wi-Fi until next time. This time I'll just spread some thoughts about my goals and ask for your opinions.
I've been thinking about what my goals are with my website(s). I'd like to provide information that is interesting, entertaining, educational, thought-provoking, useful, and eventually find a product/service that is needed by my readers and will make me some money. With that in mind, I'd like to pose a few questions and ask you to email me with any answers/comments you might have:
1) I'm trying to decide if I should send this newsletter via email or just point to the webpage. If you read it from your email, send me a note saying 'I read the newsletter in my email." If not, send me one saying "I read the newsletter of the website."
2) What do you think of my http://www.retirement-tips.com/ homepage? Has it gotten too gaudy or busy? If it was your first time to the site, would it make you want to look further? Any suggestions?
3) What about surveys? I've got one short one on the home page and a much bigger one under "A Retirement Survey." Do you find these interesting or useful? Should I come up with more? Should I update the results more frequently?
4) I've changed a few things in the newsletter this month, the main one being that I added some advertising. Do you find that useful, aggravating, couldn't care less, didn't even notice?
5) Assuming you've read something in my Travel Log, any suggestions about what I should include more of or less of?
6) Any ideas on retirement or RV-related products or services that might be useful to you and others like you?
7) Any general suggestions .. like don't ask these silly questions?
Email me with answers to any or all of these -- I'd really like to hear some readers' opinions!
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Email rjhoffman@yahoo.com to sign up for the next newsletter, coming whenever I'm in the mood again.
