Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 6, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM ● C3 TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2024 Hard of hearing, hard of listening aided by acceptance H EARING aids. I did not want to get them. I looked at the in- creasing number of medications redefining what had been my junk drawer, the health-care appointments spreading through my daybook, felt the fatigue that is part of conversa- tions with third-act friends facing the not-so-delicate disintegration of various internal systems. In resisting aids, I noted my imma- turity, for had I not watched a partner of unbounded merit slowly dissolve through the stages of a chronic illness that took his life? Or sat bedside with dear ones in the midst of their depar- ture into an unknown I am not inclined to reckon? Yet, while I had not suffered in these ways, adding one more “aid” seemed “too much.” The feeling persisted even as I observed how “What?” and “Sorry, I didn’t hear that” permeated my every conversation, a pattern underlined by the rolling of eyes, the sidelong, know- ing glances among friends and family no longer amused by my mishearing. In truth, I wasn’t amused either. I had read the variety of articles sent to me about the isolation of seniors reluctant to tackle hearing loss, but I countered these articles’ insights by assuring myself that I was not “ready,” not yet within that demographic called the “hard of hearing.” I want to be soft, “fleet of foot” and “twinkle-toed,” agile of mind and body, secure still within the ship I had sailed through my early and middle ages. Within my third act, in the face of its seemingly increasing- ly swift evolution toward extinction, I desired more time, a quickness of recall, a deft ear. And yet, I reconsider. If I am “slow- ing down,” no longer sailing within the standards of earlier times, more vulnerable to a culture besotted with youthfulness, genetic engineering, cosmetic intervention and anti-aging philosophies, surely I am growing old enough to know better than to measure myself within those equally fleeting, superficial frames of reference. Am I not becoming aware, as time advances, that my inner and outer lives are informed by a different means of transport on a course fuelled by experience and deepened by both euphoria and adversity? Am I not being awakened by ever-widening spheres of understanding given that we are all in some form of a temporarily-abled process? In catching sight of these frames once more, I recognize that while I am hard of hearing, it is as important to acknowledge that I have been more hard of listening — unwilling to listen to observations of others frustrated by having to repeat themselves too often. If there are medications, routines and devices that assist, why not embrace them with gratitude rather than lament those losses that, so often and of necessity, increase with age? Accordingly, I make an appointment for a hearing assessment. I am told that I have moderate loss in both ears and the cost will top out at around $6,000 for a pair of hearing aids. I opt for a second opinion at another location. I am told I have moderate hearing loss in one ear and that the cost will be just under $1,000. I appreciate the dif - ference, more so once informed about a government-sponsored program that will offset some costs if I am eligible. The second appraisal I think is more responsive to my actual hearing-loss experience. I will re-evaluate with experts as necessary over time, but as I wait for the arrival of the aid, I am surprisingly enlivened by an unexpect- ed enthusiasm. At the office, I am given an impres- sive and thorough introduction. Driving home, I hear car sounds at a frequency I had forgotten. I study the manual. I am fastidious about the care of the ear piece, proud of myself, proud to tell family and friends that having finally listened to their commentary, I am restored to hearing and listening levels that benefit us all. I think about the next assistance measures I may need: how I might respond to a difficult diagnosis, for ex- ample; how friends have managed such realities; and how profound are the pal- liative and medical assistance in dying options available in our society. I am both sobered and light of heart. Holding two seemingly contrary emo- tions simultaneously is one of the gifts of my older age, a time tuned increas- ingly by how certainties accompany uncertainties. While I do not know how or when I will depart this galaxy, I am certain I will, and thus moments expand in significance, a single blade of grass ripens my sense of the miracle of growing things; babies born through the winter months paraded in prams by proud parents thrill; and grandchil- dren calling me Baba shimmers as sunlight can sparkle water bodies. My hearing aid encourages me not only to listen more attentively, it improves my understanding of what support looks like as I develop and thus complete the cycle of life into death afforded my being. fparts@freepress.mb.ca DEBORAH SCHNITZER Winnipeg writer Deborah Schnitzer explores life lessons from women in their Third Act. LIVED LIVES L OGGING onto your bank account and seeing a low balance can be stressful, es- pecially if you’re nowhere near your next payday. If you’re struggling to stay afloat — or even if you’re doing OK but want to be more disciplined with money — a spending diet may help you get on the right track. Currently, around one in three (34 per cent) Americans say they’re living paycheque to paycheque, according to Bankrate’s Paycheque to Paycheque Survey. If you often find yourself short on money, trimming extra fat from your expenses through a spending diet can help free up funds for savings or other financial goals. Here we’ll delve into the ways you can put a spending diet to work, along with the potential benefits and draw- backs of following this type of money management strategy. What is a spending diet? Similar to watching what you eat to improve your health, a spending diet helps you improve your personal finances in order to live within your means and keep money in the bank. A spending diet can be defined as taking steps to decrease your expens- es. One way to do this is by following a monthly budget that ensures your income exceeds your expenses. A budget can help free up some of your dollars for other wants or needs, or simply to build up savings. Finding ways to decrease spending, even just small amounts here and there, can really add up, especially at a time when: • Three-quarters (75 per cent) of Americans report they don’t feel fi- nancially secure, according to Bank- rate’s Financial Freedom Survey. •Nearly half (47 per cent) of Amer- icans say money has a negative impact on their mental health, at least occasionally, according to Bankrate’s Money and Mental Health Survey. A spending diet can be a temporary process, or part of a more ongoing effort to decrease your expenses over time. A key aspect is that it enables you to keep a close eye on your spend- ing to help you meet your financial goals. How does a spending diet work? The most straightforward way to go about a spending diet may be creating a monthly budget, which is also often referred to as a spending plan. For example, say you’re making $4,000 a month, yet you realize you’re spending around $4,300 per month. Creating an itemized bud- get can help you find places to trim that extra $300 (or more) from your spending. For instance, maybe you realize you could free up funds by going out to eat less often, or by cancelling streaming services or memberships you never use. You might also shop around for different homeowners in- surance that offers with a lower rate. Say you’re able to eliminate $400 in expenses each month. This money can now be used to build up your emergency fund or pay down debt. Benefits of a spending diet There are three potential benefits of paying close attention to your finances through a spending diet: 1. You’ll curb extra spending. You’re better equipped to live within your means when you identify areas where you can spend less. Common areas where people can often trim their spending include: • Groceries: The average household spends around US$475 per month on food eaten at home, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Consumer Expenditure Survey. • Dining out: Americans spend an average of US$166 per month, per person, on going out to eat, according to a 2023 US Foods survey. • Memberships and streaming ser- vices: Consumers spend an average of US$61 a month on streaming ser- vices, according to the 2024 Digital Media Trends Report by the Deloitte Center for Technology, Media & Tele- communications. 2. You’ll avoid binge spending. When you’re in a money-saving mind- set, you’re often less likely to make impulse purchases or to put charges on your credit card that you can’t pay off right away. The benefits of a shop- ping spree may be outweighed by the peace of mind that comes with having your spending under control. 3. You’ll stick to a daily regimen. Staying within established spend- ing limits helps keep you from nick- el-and-diming away your money with daily trips to the coffee shop. In fact, over the course of a month, watching your spending every day can really add up to big savings. How to set up a spending diet plan The easiest way to put your spend- ing on a diet is often to create a bud- get. You may find it pays to keep your budget simple, or you might decide it’s more helpful to incorporate more details such as subcategories. To make your budget, start by listing out your monthly income and expenses. You can write them out using pen and paper, enter them into a spreadsheet or use a budgeting app. Determine how much you’re spending on each category by looking through recent bank and credit card state- ments. A budget should include everything you’re spending money on, including necessities (such as housing, grocer- ies, transportation and childcare) as well as non-essentials (such as entertainment and visits to the local coffee shop). Find places to trim spending Once your monthly budget is set up, now’s your chance to be creative in finding ways to lower spending, where possible. Examples of ways to cut expenses include: • Cancel any memberships you’re not using. • Prepare more of your meals at home. • Consider making more meatless meals to save on your food bill. • Reduce or eliminate your alcohol consumption, which can have health benefits in addition to saving money. • Make homemade gifts for birthdays and holidays. • When taking a vacation, consider a staycation to eliminate hotel and airfare costs. If you want to be especially cre- ative, consider a no-spend challenge as a way to quickly cut your expenses and add to your savings. Set a goal for how much you can save over a month’s time, and challenge yourself to meet that goal. Automate your savings Once you’ve successfully reduced your spending, be sure to divert the freed-up money to where it’s truly needed. Options include putting it into a savings account or paying down credit cards or other loans. If you need to save for emergencies or other financial goals, consider setting up automated transfers every payday from your checking to your savings account. Automating your savings in this way means you won’t have to manual- ly transfer money between accounts. It can keep you on track with building savings, and it will also keep you from making impulse purchases. “Successful saving is all about the habit, and automating the process of saving is the best way to establish the habit of consistent saving,” says Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate’s chief fi- nancial analyst. “An automatic trans- fer also gets the money into savings where it is working for you and out of the checking account where it is more easily spent.” What’s more, setting up automated transfers from checking to savings every month can help guarantee you’re adding to your savings without having to remember to make manual transfers. Bottom line Similar to a diet that encourages healthy eating, a spending diet helps you form better habits and provides peace of mind. You’ll be living within your means as you build up savings for emergencies and other important financial goals. — Bankrate.com KAREN BENNETT TRIMMING FINANCIAL FAT Save money by going on a spending diet PEXELS ARTS ● LIFE I LIFESTYLES ;