Florida Weatherization Assistance Programs - Broward County Minority Builders Coalition, Inc. Call (954) 792-1121
Lauderdale Lakes Services
Free medical care for uninsured adults age 50 and older is available the last Monday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. at Vincent Torres Park at the City of Lauderdale Lakes. Medical services provided by MediVan. For more information, call Bunny at (954) 535- 2806.
Margate Services
Healing families and bridging loss is the focal point of discussion at the monthly Parents With Estranged Children support group. The group meets every second and fourth Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Northwest Focal Point Senior Center, 6009 NW 10 St. Membership is available by calling (954) 973-0300.
West Palm Beach Services
Free and confidential testing for HIV and syphilis is available on an ongoing basis. The Vickers House South performs testing at the Southridge Education and Training Center, 3801 Georgia Ave. Testing takes place the first Thursday of every month from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call (561) 835-7180.
South Florida Services
African American parents are being heavily recruited for adoption and foster parenting. Charlee Homes for Children places youth from about 7 to 15. For adoptive or fostering guidelines, call (305) 779- 9609 or visit the Web site at www.charleeprogram.org.
SOME WAYS SENIORS CAN SAVE SERIOUS MONEY
Check Your Affiliations:
Organizations like AARP, AAA and credit card issuers often offer member
discounts on various items and attractions. Check their websites or
mailers regularly for new offers.
Government Programs:
Many government-sponsored benefits, grants and financial aid programs
exist to help low-income families, seniors and others pay their bills,
including:
• LIHEAP, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides
grants to help pay utility bills. To see if you qualify, go to www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap.
• Also, check with your water, garbage collection, telephone and
television cable companies to see if they offer discounts for seniors,
low-income families or the disabled.
• SNAP, the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps
millions of lower-income Americans buy nutritious food each month.
Visit www.fns.usda.gov/snapfor qualification requirements.
• Medicaid. Many uninsured people who aren't yet eligible for Medicare
can obtain medical coverage through state-administered Medicaid
programs. To learn more, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidGenInfo.
• Rental assistance for low-income families is available from several
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs as well as
other state and local agencies (see www.hud.gov/renting/index.cfm for details).
Insurance:
To lower monthly premiums, consider raising deductible amounts on your
auto and homeowner or renter's insurance. Also, rates typically
decrease when you reach age 50 or 55, especially if you take a
defensive driving course, so be sure to ask. Click here to get a free auto, health, home, or life insurance quote.
Medical Expenses:
If your Medicare or other health insurance doesn't cover a specific
medical expense, ask the doctor's office about discounts for paying in
cash. Also, explore using generic drugs and see if your plan offers
discounts for ordering several months' worth of routine medications at
once by mail.
Pay Down Debt: List your outstanding credit card and loan balances by interest rate and pay off those with the highest rates first. And always make at least the minimum payment on each account.
Senior Discounts: Before purchasing anything, ask if they offer senior discounts. Always ask at the beginning of the transaction. One precaution, however: Senior rates at airlines, hotels, car rental agencies and other travel-related businesses are not always the cheapest available, so check their websites or ask a phone representative for the lowest available rate before requesting the senior rate.