More than 70% of the 76 million baby boomers in the United States bought music in the past year, according to The NPD Group's "Boometrics" study conducted for the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) and AARP. 

NPD projects that CD and digital music download sales to those born from 1941 to 1964 have the potential to reach $700 million to $1 billion.  Currently Boomers account for about 1/3 of all music sales.

To read more about this report, go to: 

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1005392&src=dp1_home

Both Boomers and “matures” (those aged 60 and up) use a wide variety of sources for travel information--including television, travel agents, radio, outdoor advertising, print and various types of Internet sites. But recommendations from friends and family are by far the most used (cited by 96% of boomers and 88% of matures) and more important, by far the most "valued" (57% of boomers, 44% of matures), reports Focalyst, which continues to analyze and release details from the massive survey, conducted last year, a joint venture by AARP Services and Kantar.

Here are some other interesting facts uncovered in the survey:

• Two-thirds of boomers stay in hotels/motels. But age is a key factor here: Nearly 70% of those in their forties, versus just 51% of those in their eighties, stay in hotels/motels.
• The 25 million 42-plus singles collectively plan to spend about $28 billion on travel in the next 12 months. They are more inclined than marrieds or "partnered" travelers to travel alone (28% versus 6%), take weekend trips and like "organized" trips. Only 54% (versus 67% of paired-up folks) say they'll be staying in a hotel on their next trip.
• Boomers are a bit more inclined to prefer taking vacations that are "off the beaten path" (48%, versus 42% of matures).

To read more about the survey’s findings, go to:  http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=67668

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyle/best_places_2007.html

Boston, Massachusetts, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chandler, Arizona, Portland, Oregon, and Atlanta, Georgia are the 5 best places for Boomers to consider retiring in according to the September/October 2007 issue of AARP Magazine. 

The article points out the while most of these are cities and cities have higher taxes and higher housing costs, they also have resources to invest in programs and services that make these locations especially appealing.  Some of those services and programs include mass-transit systems so people can drive less, expanded sidewalks to encourage walking, better and more health care options, and a wider range of mixed-use housing options.  Additionally, the locations chosen by AARP for this article have abundant cultural and volunteer opportunities for people of all ages. 

As appealing as these 5 locations may be, the article also points out that Robert McNulty, founder of Partners for Livable Communities, says that as many as 90 percent of people prefer to stay in their own communities as they age.  

Where do you want to retire?  And why do you choose that location?  To be close to family?  Because of weather?  Cultural and volunteer opportunities?  Let us know what your preferences are!

Graduating high school and college is a right of passage that many children and parents go through every year. 

But the latest Nielsen Company survey says that passage is not as bumpy as it has been in the past.  Over one quarter of Boomer parents with children 18 years and older financially help out their children past graduation.

This is how the average $1000 is broken down:

60% goes to groceries

47% housing/rent

46% car/transportation

41% clothes

37% medical expenses

Moms 45-54 were twice as likely as other female heads of households to hand over money.

Do you plan to help your children after college or did your parents help you?  Let us know your story today!

http://sev.prenewsire.com/publishing-information-services/200731/AQTH15531052007-1.html