Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In no sense of the word would a trip to Aruba constitute a "need." If this is a "need," your priorities are way out of line and you're completely out of touch with most people.
I should have noted again my comments you responded to were solely directed at FreeMkt. Who knows poverty well and is critical of those who don't.
Having $500,000 plus SS seemed like a lot. Now it doesn't.
I don't know what kind of lifestyle you had before, but with two SS checks ($3,000 x 12 = $36,000 yr) and drawing 3-4% from your investments should be comfortable. Depending on housing cost, you can buy a condo with part of that $500,000 so you will have no mortgage. 3% of $400,000 = $12,000 per year added to your $36,000 SS for $48,000 total. Remember, you won't be paying 6.25% SS payroll tax, 1.45% medicare payroll tax, less income tax on your SS and investment income (likely low percent to the feds).
I agree with the posts about making a budget for that $48,000. Remember to include saving in that budget for emergencies and other one time expenses. Such as car accident, medical copayments/deductibles/coinsurance, applicance replacement, new car every 10 years or so, etc.
Where is it that utilities are $55 a month? Last month, in a very mild climate and our elec is $115, water $40, sewer $35, trash $40, and if you are considering cable a utility, that was over $100 which is ridiculous and I hate paying cable its a waste of $.
We need to find an area of the country where it is safe and the cost of daily basic living is like that of Fran66 here on this thread. I am really curious where we can really settle and not pay $800/mo just to run a household utilities, taxes, hoa fees, insurances, cable and GROCERIES, they have gone up astronomically!
My dad had LT care ins for him and his wife, they paid over the course of 40 years, he had horrible arthritis and had joint replacements and could barely move and in constant pain, he applied to get in home care for a couple hours a week, they denied and then finally approved it, a month later he passed from a sudden heart attack. I imagine he paid tens of thousands of dollars for that LT care ins. My thought is that if he didn't have that insurance, somehow the care person could have been paid via maybe savings or something, especially since it was such a short time. My aunt passed, in hospital 2 days. My sister in law passed, in hospital 2 weeks maybe. My mom passed, in hospital 20 days, my step dad passed, in hospital maybe 2 weeks, my aunt passed, in hospital 3 days, my rich uncle passed, in hospital never. My other uncle passed, in hospital never. My sister passed in hospital never. My brother passed in hospital one day. All the insurance stories are kind of not as likely to be a problem I think.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
