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Splitting the difference on financial knowledge

Q: My spouse has little interest in our financial position. As we age, this concerns me. I try to share some basic information (income, spending, account balances, debt and so on) each month but rarely get a response. I think graphs or charts might be of more interest to her than a bunch of numbers. What recommendations would you have for illustrating our financial position so that I am not the only person aware of how we are situated? — Thanks! A: Your situation is pretty common. Most couples I know develop a division of labor over time, where one person is in charge of financial ...

Gen Z hits the seas for vacation

Picture the classic cruise passenger with a deck chair, ocean view and a formal dinner by 6 p.m. That image clashes with a harder set of numbers: 76% of Gen Z travelers who have already been on a cruise plan to do it again, and the industry knows it. Cruise lines are overhauling itineraries, forging sport partnerships and rethinking who they’re building for because the youngest generation of travelers has arrived at sea, and they’re not leaving. The demographic change goes well beyond one age group. According to Cruise Lines International Association, or CLIA, global cruise ...

Meds for depression remain controversial

Nearly 50 million Americans take antidepressant medications. These include sertraline (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro), bupropion (Wellbutrin), trazodone (Desyrel), fluoxetine (Prozac) and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would like to see many physicians “deprescribe” such drugs. That goal has created consternation among both psychiatrists and patients. The effectiveness of these drugs has been controversial for decades. Twenty years ago, psychiatrists conducted a groundbreaking study they called STAR*D (New England Journal of ...

DEAR ANNIE: How to get rid of torture from roommates

DEAR ANNIE: I’m 26 and sharing an apartment with two roommates who make my home life miserable. There’s constant noise, passive-aggressive notes and one of them regularly invites people over late on weeknights (plus, they usually make dinner without cleaning up). I work long hours and need a peaceful home to recharge. I’d do anything to come home to silence. I’ve tried addressing it directly; it didn’t stick. I’ve found a studio I love that I can afford on my own, technically. But “afford” means rent, utilities, and groceries — nothing left over. No savings, no ...

Senior news

To be included or submit items to be published in the weekly Senior News list, email information to tmunnell@tribtoday.com or dbigelow@tribtoday.com. The deadline is noon Wednesday for inclusion in that week’s list. GIRARD MULTI-GENERATIONAL CENTER: The Girard Multi-Generational Center, 443 Trumbull Ave., Girard, OH 44420, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Center services and programs are funded by the Girard City Senior Levy and in part by the Trumbull County Senior Levy and Direction Home of Eastern Ohio. LIBERTY SENIOR WATCH PROGRAM: Established in 2008, the ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: Let kids help with meal prep

DEAR HELOISE: The best activity for kids before a holiday meal is having them help in preparing it. This is how they’ll learn how to prep for a big celebration, which is the only way to learn how to do anything. Of course, the work must be geared to each kid’s level of ability, and some guidance is required. This will also teach them responsibility and give them pride. —Louis R., in Reseda, California Louis, this is a solution that brings varied results. It’ll all depend on whether the host likes to have everything ready for company before they arrive and whether the ...