If you have recently handed in your key at work and packed up your briefcase and business suits, you probably have thoughts of sunny weather and relaxation. When thinking of retirement locales, Florida probably comes to mind quickly.


However, there are so many options when it comes to which city in Florida to retire to. As you decide on a new city to call your home in retirement, consider Fort Lauderdale. These are the reasons you will love retiring in Fort Lauderdale, Florida:


Photo by Lance Asper on Unsplash
Weather and Beaches

Fort Lauderdale is known for its fantastic weather and beautiful beaches. If you have always dreamed of retiring somewhere warm and lounging on the sand listening to the waves crash, Fort Lauderdale is the retirement city for you. 


The weather in Fort Lauderdale is known for being consistently nice, with an average year-round temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (obviously warmer in the summer) and with the majority of days each year being sunny. This amazing weather combined with beaches that are within 30 minutes of each Fort Lauderdale neighborhood make for a fantastic retirement location.

Affordability

Compared to other beach cities in Florida, like Miami, Fort Lauderdale is considered relatively affordable. It is actually considered one of the most affordable beach cities in the state. Housing, specifically, is considered reasonable compared to some other coastal cities in Florida.


This is an extremely important variable for retirees, who are generally on a fixed income, and who need to focus on living within a set budget. Luckily for retirees, there are plenty of Fort Lauderdale houses for sale in this affordable beach city.

Lifestyle and Things to Do

Lifestyle is an important part of retirement because for the first time, you have complete control of your time and how you want to use it. If you are looking for a relaxed retirement, Fort Lauderdale is for you, as the city is known to have a laid-back vibe. You can take long walks on the beach, lounge in the sand and read, or spend a relaxing afternoon shopping and then head to one of the many restaurants for dinner.


If you want a more active retirement, Fort Lauderdale is also known for its golf courses and opportunities for fishing, including deep sea fishing. If you plan to travel in your retirement, Fort Lauderdale is also a great choice, since it is a popular tourist destination and as such has a robust travel infrastructure. Most residential neighborhoods are just a few minutes from the airport, where you can fly out to a myriad of domestic or international destinations.


Many people dream of retiring to a warm beach town, and Fort Lauderdale is a top choice if that is your dream. From fantastic weather to beautiful beaches to affordable housing to golfing and fishing to travel options, it seems like Fort Lauderdale was made for retirees. If you are having a hard time choosing among cities in Florida for your retirement, consider these attributes and put Fort Lauderdale at the top of your list.


 

I wasn't really looking for an online library but since we have to do many things we are used to in a different way, I start searching for various book titles online. We live in a new day in time and going to the library was out of the question two years ago (Y'all remember 2020) But did you know you can still borrow books for free online?! I know there are probably plenty of websites like this one but Internet Archive is my absolute favorite! I’ve been reading books everyday since I found this website! To a nerdy type of person like myself this is better than Netflix! (Which I canceled by the way)  There are not just books but articles and videos. It really feels like the library because you have an hour at a time to read and once the hour is up you have to borrow again for another hour to continue reading. I’ve sat on the Internet Archive for hours reading and giggling. It’s a must if you're on a strict budget like myself but want some free entertainment in the form of a book.

Make sure when you find a book you like to add it as a favorite. This way all your books are in your favorite section and when you go back to borrow and continue to read it will take you back to the page you left off at. I’m super happy I found this one by accident. Internet Archive is a non profit online library and a true gem. I’ve been reading celebrity autobiographies lately and have been quite amused. One night I stayed up till 3am because I couldn’t stop reading the book I'm currently on right now.

I’ve been MIA lately on social media and my blog. I'm trying to really get my scheduling together because I’m all over the place. I had to post something about this though. The stereotype of people of color not reading is a bunch of B.S. I’ve always liked to read and so does my Mother. Your imagination will beat out a movie any day. Why do you think the movie version of a book is never as good as when you read it and pictured it yourself. I hope you guys take this resource and use it to your advantage. There is so much to gain on the internet if you use it correctly. Have a great one and read a book today… it's on the house.


 The hottest place to move used to be Los Angeles, California but with rent prices skyrocketing people are moving to the south. One of the most popular cities to move at the moment is Atlanta, Georgia. It sounds great right!? There is a music scene, TV and Film industries and of course plenty of celebrities. I know what you're asking… How much is the cost of housing in Atlanta, GA? It depends on your current situation, how much space you need and how close would you like to be to the city? 

If you look on Craigslist.org you will find some good deals but this is also where a lot of scammer activity takes place. I found a couple apartments between $900 - $1500 that looked decent in the picture but there is always a risk with a website like this. There could be no apartment available at all. Be careful and use extra caution when on Craigslist.org


Zumper was one of my favorite rental research tools. With Zumper I was able to put in exactly what I was looking for and it brought up the prices. On a studio up to 1 bedroom apartment according to Zumper rent would be an average range of about $1,100 - $2,000 which is good considering the average studio in LA is double that price. There was a wide variety of rent prices and covered many areas in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas (Which may cost a little less per month)


Maybe you want to live in the place your looking to move but don’t have relatives or friends in that city. Check Intown Suites to see if they are in your chosen destination. Another similar choice is Airbnb. These are both temporary options but could get you in that city you want to live and work. The prices vary depending on if you want the entire space or a room. Intown Suites cost around $1,200 -$1,600 a month to stay for a whole month. These could easily be used to get a place to stay for the short term.


Do you need help or assistance to move to a new city? Try ProMove they can actually assist you with your move to Atlanta. Whether you're looking for a house or apartment they got you covered and can give you assistance with movers and other companies you may need to use while transitioning to Atlanta, Georgia.

Moving to a new city, state or even out of the country can be hard. Using the above resources can help you with your move to Atlanta, Georgia and make it a less stressful situation. Even when you're looking for a new apartment to move in the same city can be just as difficult. I’m hoping you take advantage of the great websites listed above and here are some tips to get you in that moving mindset.


Here are some things to consider if you are trying to move right now:


  1. Look into renting a room or having a roommate. It could cut down your cost if you don’t mind sharing your space.


  1. Have a budget. Make a monthly budget for all your rent and living expense and try to stick to it


  1. Get rid of your car. If you live in a city and have public transportation plus rideshare (Uber or Lyft) you can definitely let go of the cost of a vehicle.


  1. Put away a few months rent (if possible) this is like an emergency fund in case you need extra money.


  1. Be flexible. What you want could take a temporary move to get to the perfect long term stay

Please do your due diligence when looking for a new place in Atlanta, Georgia and only use reputable companies and websites. I’m hoping this is your time and you find a new home in Atlanta, Georgia this year. See ya when you get here!

 Since the pandemic it's been a little harder to do the activities you're used to and to be around your family. It’s a chore just go outside you have to worry about germs, where you're putting your hands, making sure you are social distancing among many other things. As soon as things start to get serious and we started getting mask mandates, use hand sanitizer and wash our hands rigorously everyday. My immune system was not so good so I immediately started to develop a daily routine. In this daily routine I would consume the healthiest things I could get within my budget. Here are some of those things that I have to have every single day.

I'm not saying these are things that you need to have in your pantry but one or two of them a day may help with your overall immune system along with a little bit of exercise could help during these difficult times.


Organic Green Tea

I'm addicted to organic green tea in the morning. It's kind of like my must have when I first get up besides water. I used to get my organic green tea from a local Asian market but the brand I'm actually drinking till this day is Uncle Lee's Organic Green Tea. It can be found at Walmart and online on amazon.com it's one of the best tasting organic green teas I've ever had. Here are a couple reasons why it would be a good idea to consume Organic Green Tea everyday:

  1. The ingredients in Organic green tea will increase fat burning

  2. Organic green tea also has ingredients that can reduce bad breath

  3. Organic green tea is also a great source of antioxidants

  4. Organic green tea is extremely inexpensive

  5. Organic green tea may also help boost brain function

These are just a couple of the benefits of drinking organic green tea every single day. It's a perfect addition to help with your health and immune system in these days and times.

Vitamin D3

If you're vitamin D deficient you may want to think about taking a supplement on a daily basis if you don't get around sun very often. Unfortunately I am vitamin D deficient. I found out through a doctor's visit and I hope when I go back I won't be deficient anymore hopefully. This supplement is also very inexpensive.

Organic Sea Moss Capsules

I tried to use the dried sea moss, soak it, put it in the blender and make drinks with it but dried sea moss just had a very “ocean'' type of smell and taste to it. It made my sink, my refrigerator, and different jars smell like the ocean (I nicknamed it Sebastian) . It wasn't a really bad smell but it was very potent. I liked the way I felt when I did drink it so I decided to look for organic sea moss capsules and started to take those daily instead. Irish sea moss capsules have a lot of nutrients in them. Try to get them one hundred percent organic and wildcrafted if you can. Check Amazon and Ebay.

Probiotic supplement

I came down with the stomach flu about 2 years ago. I went to a local clinic and I'm so glad I got a really good doctor who observed I was having repeated stomach problems and recommended that I take the Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra Probiotic Formula capsules. His recommendation was a good one because I haven't had any stomach problems since I've been taking these probiotic capsules. These probiotics are very popular and sell out quickly. I was not aware how important your gut health was and how you need to protect your stomach to keep from getting sick from different foods.

Multi-Vitamin Gummies

These are my very favorite gummy vitamins. These gummy vitamins taste like candy. The gummies have a really fruity natural taste to them. These gummies are the Vita Fusion MultiVites. I take two of these Vita Fusion gummies per day. There's no gluten, no high fructose corn syrup, no dairy, no artificial sweeteners or flavors. I depend on these gummy vitamins daily for immune system support the same way as the probiotics, sea moss capsules, and vitamin d3.

I have incorporated organic green tea and multiple capsules into my daily routine in the morning and have felt very healthy throughout this whole time. For the organic green tea I make two bags with hot filtered water and agave sweetener in a big cup (it's good hot and cold), I take one of each for the sea moss, vitamin D3 and probiotics. For the Vita Fusion gummies I take two of those a day.

I am not a doctor so I cannot recommend any of these products all but I can say in my experience taking them on a daily basis I can say they have helped me feel great through all of 2020, 2021 and now 2022. Do not forget to add in some exercise to lower your stress and don’t forget to laugh (it's the best medicine ever). I'm glad to share this information and I hope it helps somebody out there. In the meantime eat healthy, keep your head up and stay positive.


If you're ever getting tired of a certain kind of dish: don't be shy about shaking things up!  Although you could reinvent your entire plate, there are things you can do to increase the intrigue of nearly any meal that you love.


These are four of the most creative ways to add some heat and flavor to your food while still getting to enjoy the familiar flavors that you love.

Unique Spices

We all know about cayenne and chile powder, but why not take it further?  In southwestern American states, there's a popular spice called chiltepin.


Made from powdered chiltepin peppers, this fine red grain is incredibly spicy and quickly adds heat to any dish without adding much flavor outside of it.  This ingredient is the best way to heat up familiar dishes without changing their flavor too much.  


There's a lot of hot flavor in this, so a little chiltepin goes a long way!  If you're interested in trying this, ensure you buy the full powder instead of trying to make it from dried peppers yourself since it can be hazardous to breathe in while blending.

Fun Dipping Sauces

Dipping sauces can change the flavor of any dish without having to change the steps of making it!  This could mean serving a dish with fun pepper jelly, or making your own unique sauce.


If there's any fast-food chain you love that has a tasty spicy or tangy sauce, consider looking up homemade duplicates that you can try in your kitchen!  This is a fun way to try out making your own sauces while getting to make it as spicy or mild as you'd like.

Creative Combinations

If you're used to the classics and want something fresh, consider replacing parts of the recipe to boost the flavor some.  This could mean replacing the cheese in chicken cordon bleu with pepper jack or adding buffalo sauce to your favorite hollandaise when you make eggs benedict.  Combining spicy and creamy together ensures that it doesn't devour the original flavor of the dish but amplifies it and makes it something more playful.


Almost any dish can have items shipped out or added to make it spicier, like replacing celery in your mirepoix with jalapenos to keep the same bright green texture while adding spice. So don't be afraid to get creative.

Sometimes Spice Isn't Capsaicin.

Although most people think of hot peppers when they think of heat: capsaicin isn’t the only way to make a dish burn in a good way!  Instead, consider spicing it up in other ways. For example, for desserts, cinnamon can add a lot of unexpected heat.


Although it's usually used in smaller amounts, cinnamon, when enough is used, can quickly build into a pleasant warmth and is the reason why Altoids and Big Red gum are known for a nice burn. 


In savory dishes, consider including horseradish!  This root can pack a major punch and is the main ingredient in American wasabi: so you know it’s hot.  It’s a delicious and healthy ingredient you can add to almost any savory dish to create a complex flavor.