The old ways were much easier.

I’ve had a new Roku TV for 6 weeks. It’s in the box in the closet. I’ll get one of my grandchildren to set it up and show me how to the remote etc. I never learned how to program a VCR. I really don’t like remote stuff. Not much on “new” investments either. I’ve had the same two stocks for years. I’m like my old farmer grandpa I like land and cash and save, save, save.

ff- that’s one more reason people need to educate themselves about cryptocurrency.

Seniors are targets for all types of scams unfortunately. Dating/foreign love interest, sweepstakes and money transfers from some Nigeria Royal are popular scams.

Seniors with mental decline are perfect targets for crooks. Very sad.

Crytocurrency has become a spam for seniors which really don't have $20k or the current rate to spend on something that is so high risk.

Too many well known celebrities and sports figures are harking such deals. To which many forget for those who are multi-multi-millionairs/billionaires, losing $20k-$60k is just a drop in the bucket.

FF- The point of my original post about crytocurrency is that it's a new type of investment that is embraced more and more by mainstream investment firms. Many people don't yet understand it, me included, so it's best to learn or be left in the dust.

Everyone knows that it's a high risk, speculative type of investment unless they've been living under a rock. People don't invest in it for safety. They do it for the high returns knowing it could mean high losses. For now, it's not YET ensured the way stocks and mutual funds are, but as it becomes more mainstream, it will be in the future.

The Freakonomics: The Hidden Side of Everything podcast has an excellent 2-part series on crypto currencies and block chain technology. It's not just currency, but can be used to create apps and "living" contracts. Hard to wrap my mind around, has a lot of uses that we can't even imagine today, but right now is very rife with problems, the main one being if you get schiested out of your crypto coin investment not only is there no insurance to cover loss, but there's 0 way to track where it went, so a guaranteed loss. Caveat emptor!

Polarbear, regarding stocks and mutual funds, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation insures investors up to $500,000 if a stock brokerage fails or funds are stolen/hacked, but that insurance doesn’t cover cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin carries different risks and responsibilities compared to traditional investments of stocks, bonds and funds. Bitcoins can drop in price in one year at a much greater rate than other investments. Last Nov 2021 bitcoin was at $68k, today it hovers around $18k-$20K.

FF - investing in bitcoins is similar to investing in stocks or mutual fund. There is no FDIC protection, so you can lose everything. Risks are higher, so are the returns and losses.

FF, they hang on the wall in each room. No big deal.

We don't mind but, we don't have any televisions, so no remotes except the mini-splits.

Edit: we were told that closing registers affects the efficiency and performance of the whole house unit.

I can't imagine having more remote controls.... I would need to wear a carpenter's apron to hold them all :)

Isthisrealyreal, rooms we don't use we just close the floor or ceiling registers.

Polarbear, before investing in bitcoin, please note: U.S. Federal Insurance Deposit Corporation (FDIC) protects regular checking and savings accounts against losses of up to $250,000, no such protection exists for cryptocurrency. You would need to purchase your own insurance to protect it.

I will admit that I don't understand and I need to learn how bitcoins (and other virtual moneys) are created and used. More and more investments and put into this type of currency. Cash will eventually become obsolete.

One thing we don't seem to get as much anymore are owners manuals, today you are often expected to download one or to go to a website for online support - and that's problematic for those who have limited online access or technical ability. And maybe it's just the people in my life but it seems as though nobody is willing to help when you have questions about a new device, they'd rather roll their eyes and tell you to figure it out yourself (often mumbling something unflattering about boomers under their breath).
My PC is aging so I'm getting a refurbished one and updating to Windows 11 so I've been proactively checking for some tutorials. Remember when we had Windows for Dummies books?

FF, we installed mini-split units. Best money we have ever spent on our comfort. Rooms unused do not need to be cooled/heated, bedrooms can be kept as cool or warm as desired, without doing the same to any other room. No programming but, they all have the ability to be programmed with the remote controls.

When we 1st installed them we monitored the AMPS, consistently pulling 2-3 AMPS vs 15 AMPS for the energy efficient unit we have. Huge savings seen immediately. Not to mention the comfort level is awesome.

Send, you can add a pinch of salt to cut the bitterness in coffee. I find the water I use makes a lot of difference and I grind my own beans but, I load and push the button and let it sit on the counter.

Last purchase was a Kenmore washer, just before the local store closed.
I know how to use it, but dH is fascinated and cannot help himself (OCD) when I start a load, he goes after me and changes the settings to suit his imagination.

Hours later, I walk by and it is still washing! On a special setting.

What I would like to get is an old-fashioned coffee grinder to prevent bitterness by over-grinding the beans. The one we have is small, and you hold it on. Dh holds it on, while shaking the grounds inside. He does not listen, and has not read on the topic, thinking he knows e v e r y t h i n g.

I just let him do it himself, but don't want coffee anymore.

"...new thingamajigs and whatchamacallits would be easier to use..." if people kept up with changes in technology -- which now happens continuously and this will never change in the forseeable future. The younger generations are always early adapters, so it is much easier for them.

My newer LG washer weighs the clothes and only puts in the amount of water necessary for a thorough wash, so saves on cost and resources. Same with my dryer. They are also very quiet. Yes, it's true that older appliances can last longer but they also cost more to run and use more resources.

I agree that watching tv is a challenge, but once you get the hang of streaming the options for better programming -- on demand -- is enormous and satisfying. I watch a lot of Korean romcoms and dramas on Netflix. No commercials, uniique plots and clean content. I mostly love love love no commercials. That's what the subscription fee is for.

Thermostats !! I remember when my Dad had installed one of those programmable thermostats which took an engineer to figure out. Worked great until he and Mom got older. What a mess. Even the caregivers were baffled on how to adjust it.

I got rid of my own programmable thermostat a decade ago, and had the HVAC service install a simple to use. Temp up, temp down, large numbers to read.

I've heard that one can now use their cellphone to adjust the thermostat. All I can say, heaven forbid if the cell service does down for any length of time.

Vinegar works and I always leave the lid open to let my front loader dry out. I like that it uses less water too.

I forgot to mention that I do most of my shopping online. Love it! Grocery shopping online with delivery in the winter or when I don't have much energy is a real help. I can get drugstore items on line, minor hardware, batteries etc. and clothing. Shoes I have to try on in person but if I find a pair that fits well I can often order another colour online. Clothing is easy for me but it is difficult to find shoes and boots that fit well.

I remember doing my dd's diapers in a wringer washer in the basement of one house where we rented the top floor. There was only an outside staircase to get down there which was no fun in the winter with icy steps and carrying loads of laundry, The diapers were the kind you had to fold and my hands were rough from all the folding. We did some drying on the old radiators. The next convenience was prefolded diapers, then a diaper service, then disposables which made life much easier. The old ways were not easy in that regard though more environmentally beneficial.

I have found that adding vinegar keeps my washer from smelling icky. Just a splash and I can keep it closed, if need be. Otherwise, I leave it open, wet equates to odors anywhere.

I too leave my top loader lid open. If not, it will smell because it doesn't get dried out. Those front loaders are not a new thing. My Aunt had one 60 yrs ago or more. Swore by them. I have heard complaints concerning the seals on the newer ones. But wondered how the owners were caring for them. Like TNtechie i would be wiping the seal dry and leaving the door open.

I love my front load washer! Although I agree not all are made the same. It washes clothes clean, is less destructive on the clothes and uses just enough water for the load size. I avoid the mold on the seal by wiping out the seal with a washcloth when I finish laundry and leave the door open overnight - just like leaving the top up on my older washer.

I also have a lot of love for my older washer/dryer set. At over 35 years old, I just put them in my lake bath house. Didn't use them much over the years (mostly just laundry for one), never overloaded them and basically retired them to the basement about 12 years ago when I purchase a new set of front loaders for my new home. I had to replace one heating element in the dryer about 20 years ago and I've replaced the washer hoses a couple of times as insurance against the mess a busted hose causes. I'm expecting solid performance washing mostly towels, sheets, and blankets at the lake.

My nephew says I never get rid of anything and in some ways he's right. The older washer/dryer set was moved to the basement and not discarded, now it gets a new life at the lake. The living room table set I purchased when he and his brother were children (with its sealed surfaces to tolerate water and toys) has also been moved to my little lake house. They still look new and I liked the functional style when I purchased them 30 years ago; proven durability and it thins out the stuff in my house! Guess I learned this trait from my mother: she only purchased two living room suites in my memory, when the older one wore out she purchased the replacement. She preached buy quality (for a good price) and take care of it. When the grandkids were little, she put covers on the sofa and chairs and shook out the crumbs and/or washed out the spills and the set was in good order when we emptied her house. My nephew is on his 7th set in less than 20 years...

BTW, Mom's wringer washer tubs are on my back porch, with drain lines attached and a seasonal cold water setup via an outdoor faucet. They make lovely quick dry locations for umbrellas, quick cleanup for little boys muddy bare feet (and sometimes baths), and a good cleaning location for garden produce and sometimes paint brushes.

"But I wonder if they are still made in countries where people have less abundant water resources and disposable income."

CWillie, you make a very good point. We see things from the perspective of being American, while many countries are far from the level of appliance sophistication that exists here.

Earlier cars are certainly easier to repair.

I'm still using my 40 year old Maytag washer and dryer.

I've had friends give away their 6 month old washers on craigs list as they did not clean.

My mother used a wringer washer more when she became older; until she moved in me in 2015. It was faster to use. The laundry room in her house was in the basement so once a week she went down the steps and did the laundry, running "loads" though and adjusting the temp by adding more water and adding bleach to the last load of whites. She rinsed the clothes in the tubs (one with fabric softener and one of clear water), then put them through a spin cycle in the automatic washer before drying them or hanging them on the clothesline. If she had a small load during the week, she usually brought the clothes to my house and washed them during a visit.

We still use her washer. It's in my nephew's working garage and we use it to wash out VERY dirty clothes used in takedowns (tear downs) of old structures and septic repairs . After going through the wringer (one cycle with soap, drain and second cycle with water), we take them to the house for a normal laundry cycle. We might get rid of it when it breaks but it's hard to imagine another washer easier to clean out the gunk than a wringer tub.

I saw those ITRR, but they are hand cranked, not electric.... which I suppose makes sense for the Amish.

Lehman's sells wringer washers, they supply the Amish with all of the home needs that are "old fashion".

Awesome store.

I think they still make wringer washers, my bachelor uncle had one but it may have been very old. I know that in the 90's my aunt (dad's sister) insisted on getting one because she thought it cleaned better than spin washers - probably because you could let the wash cycle run extra long.

The medical encyclopedias that we got in the 70's had an emergency first aid section with a whole page devoted to wringer injuries.

OK according to a quick web search speed queen was the last American company to make a wringer washer and they stopped in 1990. But I wonder if they are still made in countries where people have less abundant water resources and disposable income.

I remember when Mom used the old wringer washer and my sister and I helped wring out the laundry, carry it upstairs, and hang in on the lines. Mom had a mangle for sheets and pillow cases.

I think the old wringer washer is still in the basement; I'm hoping Henry Ford Museum might want it. The mangle's there as well.

My parents got a dryer when we kids were small and it was still working fine when we sold and moved, so it ran at least 45 years?? The old International refrigerator (just like the one on Friends) still ran too if you plugged it in, but it had gotten rusty after it was moved out into the drive shed.
Oh and I think I've mentioned before that I'm still using the Sunbeam toaster they got as a wedding gift!

I am with you on the washing machine. I have an original 37 yr old Maytag. My dryer is probably 20 yrs,old. I plan on getting them repaired until they can be repaired no more.

Had to use my daughters one time. Those front loaders. I had to call her at work to find out how to use it. She doesn't use most of the buttons. And the washer takes 2x longer to wash. My Mom was told by a repairman years ago, more on the washer, more repairs. Like you, next one is going to be basic.

I think TV was much easier. You turned it on you turned it off. We had 3 VHF stations and 3 or 4 UHF. Programs were lots better. I would not have to stream if we had some decent TV.

But remote starters aren't really high tech though, they have been around for decades and once it's installed you just need to push a button. Although no doubt there's now an app for that 🤔

In our area of northeast TN, winter mornings are often 20-40 degrees - just enough to leave a nice layer of frost on the windshield and windows. A remote starter to have the engine and heater warm up the car to clear or at least soften the frost is lovely. I gave an aftermarket remote starter system to all the adults in the family one year; may have been one of the best recieved gifts (even though my brothers spent the week after Christmas installing them). It works well in the summer to cool the car too.