# How many are ..just making it ??



## Helena

Was wondering how many of "us' retired folks are just making it on what they have now in $$. Read about a lot of you that were able to make good money decisions with the money you worked hard for...but others must be having it very hard. Personally, know a couple who worked hard, have their SS and a small pension and are finding it harder each day.Of course, they aren't "that" poor to receive any benefits in food etc..and don't know if they would. They have a small homestead, total wood heat.. live much more simply than most of us do in creature comforts,but it's getting harder for them. What do the "simple folk"do ???


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## Farmer Dave

I've gone from a comfortable middle class income from 40 years of working full time to no income. I've been forced into unemployment because I can't find work at my age. Was laid off work in 2009 and after applying to many hundreds of jobs and getting no responses, I have all but given up looking. I've been living off my savings and will be starting my SS at the end of this year. I've figured with all my expenses increasing every year, like insurance premiums, food, gasoline, etc., the SS won't cover everything. I'm in good health and would really like to find a job to help cover my expenses but when a person is in their 60's employers think you are a liability rather than an asset to their business.

I'm not doing nearly as bad as a lot of folks are simply because my home is paid for and I have no major expenses besides insurance premiums. I really don't know what people are going to do...things are just going from bad to worse.


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## MoonRiver

One thing that may become a big problem for me is that most of my money is in investments that are not a protected retirement plan. By that I mean all that money has to be spent before I would be eligible for any government assistance. If the money was in an IRA or other government approved retirement program, then that money is not counted when qualifying for government assistance. 

For example: In VA, the max income to be eligible for food stamps is $1,211/month. But the kicker is the fed program restricts eligibility for seniors to assets of $3,250 or less. 

So if some catastrophic event happens to me, I will be forced to spend almost all my assets before I will be eligible for any government assistance. At that point, I will be in deep doo doo.


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## joebill

I doubt we could get by on SS and we have no pensions. We are self employed and we were dropping some of our fields of endevor and passing then to the kids, but recent developments in the economy made us cancel that. 

As of a few weeks ago, our "plan" is to keep working the business as long as our hands and knees are fit to use. When that's no longer the case, we have no plan, except sellling off asssets, and there are not that many of those, with land and house prices where they are.

Our place is free and clear, no real debt to speak of, and we can do a lot more towards eliminating cash purchases than we have, so we are not in the "gloom and doom" phase even now. 

We have been "barely making it" most of the time since we were married in 1966, so that's nothing new to us. We have been a one-income family almost from the beginning and had 5 rather expensive daughters. We have never seen a food stamp or an unemployment check, not because we don't believe in them, but because we were blessed with great imaginations, strong bodies, and mostly the faith in God that allows one to keep planning and working when everything looks like it's going to cave in on us.

It's been hard, and it's getting harder, what with all the joint problems, but few can imagine the memories, the triumphs, the plain old FUN we have had! We always knew that we would get old and brittle and eventually die, so there are no more surprises waiting for us, except the good kind, where something goes better than we expected. 

When I was very young, I shot small game for an empty table and picked "greens" along the railroad track in the spring. Dug sasafrass and sold the roots. Sold produce from my Grandad's garden from a radio flyer red wagon. Ran a paper route. Later, I did too many things to list, and I'm still doing whatever it takes. I hope and believe that when I can't do anything at all, it will be because I am deader than John Henry's hammer.

I have been in nursing homes, where the guy who treated his body "like a temple" sits, head cocked looking at the wall, age 103 with no idea where he is or why. Not for me. When my hand tremmor gets too bad, my guess is that the bandsaw I still run every day will probably lop it off and I will bleed out. A fitting end for a guy who always "just wanted to make things people liked",,,,,,Joe


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## where I want to

It has become scarier than I imagined. It is mostly been the increases in "fees" (Californian for taxes passed with less than the required majority,) bonds ( there was one when I retired and there are now 5) and taxes ( local sales tax is now almost 10%, up from 6.5% whne I retired) that worry me most. Although things like insurance have gone up a lot for less coverage.
For all the unemployment here, there are few younger people doing things like applicance or home repair. As the older folk retire, they are not replaced. That is also scary.
But it is still ok. So I'm luckier than some for sure. The house doesn't have a mortgage and I don't like to travel anyway. I do love to grow vegetables. A good hobby to have these days.


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## Micheal

Gee Helena, truly wish I had a "pat" answer to your question of "What do simple folks to do?"

Lately I've seen organizations, let alone individuals, be so overwelmed that they litterly stop; stop and shut down to the point that everything is lost and they are no longer able to function as designed or needed..........

With individuals, I've seen where everyday life has become a chore and those that thought that they could make it on what they have "at the moment" are finding that "at the moment" has not only passed them by, but has been replaced by an unspoken type of inflation that is effecting us all.
It's an inflation everyone knows is happening, that has an effect on most everyone, and mostly those in power are helpless to control - that is if they even knew how.......

So sadly, I have "no" answer as to "what to do"......... for any of us.


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## ceresone

I live completely on SS. Since my Husband died a year ago, it's gotten even tighter. but bills are paid first, then animals feed--what's left over is groceries. This is why, partly, that I garden. It can be done-we had to refinance the farm when Hubby first got brain cancer, and wasnt on SS, but it's doable, even tho that payment takes half of my check. But--since I prefer staying at home anyhow, I'm doing OK


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## ET1 SS

My pension is roughly equal to minimum-wage. We are doing okay.

I am concerned that the future is going to be very rough for a lot of people.


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## ldc

On a related subject: Anyone know of a good annuity with a solid company; now that there is no interest at the banks? Have been looking on the Net, and seems that rates have dropped in half in the last 2 years...Would appreciate any imput.(My heirs didn't even want to know where the keys are to the safety deposit box, w items eventually for them!).


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## lmrose

Canada has a pension plan like social security that all working people pay into and can draw on at 60 or 65 yrs.It pays according to how much you paid into it during your working life. If you never worked a job that paid benefits or were self-employed the plan does not apply.

Canada also has an Old Age Pension everyone gets up to a certain income. It kicks in at 65 or 67 depending when you were born. Right now it is about $530 per month. In a two person household each get the same amount if they qualify. There is also a supplement for those who have no other income like private pension plans.Two people living together and drawing Old Age Pension would have enough to pay rent, or mortgage, utilities and food. But if one dies the income is gone and many pensioners can't keep their homes on one pension and find suitable housing expensive to rent.
It is not a perfect solution but Canada is doing better than many countries helping seniors.Trouble is in the future for those now under 50 yrs they are being advised to save for retirement as those government dollars are disappearing fast. There are too may older people and not enough younger ones to keep the system in tact endlessly.


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## motdaugrnds

This is an excellent thread Helena. Thanks for starting it. I hope what is told in here will inspire others. People who are barely making it do not need to give up. Just learn to arrange things differently...if at all possible.

What do simple folks do? Well, I can tell you what I am doing though I have little doubt it would not be called "simple" because too many locals are stopping up on the state road to look at it.

First off, I am a 72 yrs old female who is emotionally exhausted from caring for sick loved ones. My strength literally has come from above as it is "by faith in a loving god" that I walk!

My income is solely from SS and is just above the poverty line. I do not rely on government subsidies for my existence. I knew this situation was coming when I first started caring for a very much loved mother who was dying of parkinsons disease; so I planned for it. I am now living on one tract of land (6 acres) in an old 1972 trailer house with two old autos to rely on, i.e. 1988 GMC van and 1978 Ford pickup. (When one won't start, the other will.)

This "simple" person fell back on the land! I knew my SS would not provide all I would need; so I set this homestead up to provide the food, i.e. dairy goats and fowl as well as vegetable garden and fruit orchards. Yes it is hard work; but I owe no one anything and am actually surviving! A walk with my dairy goats as they browse and/or working in the garden and/or working with the fruit trees/bushes/vines is elating because I know it all comes from my Heavenly Fathe. No "man" can take it from me...at least not yet! (I do know the time will come when they will try; but I also know that is when Jesus returns; so I'm not that concerned about it.)


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## where I want to

ldc said:


> On a related subject: Anyone know of a good annuity with a solid company; now that there is no interest at the banks? Have been looking on the Net, and seems that rates have dropped in half in the last 2 years...Would appreciate any imput.(My heirs didn't even want to know where the keys are to the safety deposit box, w items eventually for them!).


Right now would not be the time to get an annuity unless you could find one with an option to increase the rate of return at some point. Interest rates determine the rate paid on an annuity and as you pointed out they are at all time lows.

If you belong to USAA, you might check there- they usually offer the best service anyway.


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## lmrose

Helena said:


> Was wondering how many of "us' retired folks are just making it on what they have now in $$. Read about a lot of you that were able to make good money decisions with the money you worked hard for...but others must be having it very hard. Personally, know a couple who worked hard, have their SS and a small pension and are finding it harder each day.Of course, they aren't "that" poor to receive any benefits in food etc..and don't know if they would. They have a small homestead, total wood heat.. live much more simply than most of us do in creature comforts,but it's getting harder for them. What do the "simple folk"do ???


Helena; so far we are still living off the land and my husband said he will continue to keep a couple of goats and some chickens no matter where we live. Our Old Age Pensions we use sparingly as the government here gives on one hand and takes back on the other hand with little notice.We save to pay property taxes in the future in case the pension plan is scraped or clawed back and we have no income.

Government can't be counted on to support older people or anyone. They change things as the population of Canada changes.There are too few younger people working and paying into Canada Pension and too many Baby Boomers reaching retirement age for the government to keep giving everyone pensions indefinitely . When government gives the population anything I say "Thank-you" fully realizing they could stop anytime.But never count on pensions to be always available as we age.
Just this past year government changed the way Unemployment Benefits are distributed. They in doing so left seasonal workers with no way to live 6 months of the year. Change can happen very fast. So we save rather than spend to make sure we have a roof over our head if Old Age Security is axed in the future.

Transportation and wood heat are two challenges we face now. Wood is expensive to buy and when a body wears out alternative ways to get the wood home needs to be found.Anyway where there is a will there is a way.


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## where I want to

There is really no absolute security for anyone but insecurity seems a lot closer as we get older. And for people who have less stockpiled, it seems even closer. Thinks beyond control are going to happen.
When I start to worry too much, when it starts to spoil my enjoyment of a beautiful day, I tell myself it is much too late for me to die early. I've made it so far, have done what I can, I stop looking at the news for a while, and notice that the bird still sing in the sunshine in the morning. And give myself a break from worry. I don't want to waste what time I have being miserable about what might not happen.


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## Helena

Yes..bottom line for me personally is..that the Lord has taken care of us all these years and I know He will continue to care for us.


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## Shrek

My company early retirement package set me about 8 years back in my career based company pension. With my property paid off and my investments I have been able to maintain the same level of middle class lifestyle I enjoyed in 2001____even down to the vehicles I owned then and still own.

Of course it is not a issue with me as my goal from the time I went to work in 1982 my goal was to retire out by the time I was 45 or 50 and just be a semiretired resident of the "Mayberry" where I live.

My vision of life without a time clock, sleeping in late if I want, investment gambling, horsetrading , flea marketing and hanging out at our versions of Goober's filling station, Floyd's barbershop and Myers Lake didn't appeal to my ex so she left. Of course her departure made my future vision more accessible to me.

Over a decade later I am still enjoying my simple pleasures and reconnected romantically with an old flame who enjoys similar simple pleasures and as I owns her own home and plans to semiretire when she turns 55 in a few years or sooner if she gets tired of the rat race. 

I am far from being able to be a globe trotting retiree but I am also far from being a starving retiree standing in a soup line.


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## Maura

I have volunteered at the gov't food giveaways. Most of the people who come in for a little box of food are retirees. We've found that people at that level of poverty will not eat for a couple of days out of the month so they can pay their electric bill or their rent. That little box of food means they are eating every day.

People who were poor when they were middle aged are poor when they are old. They paid less into SS, so they collect less. They usually do not have a pension. Because they earned less, they were not able to save very much and do not have investments.

People who worked under the table are at a real loss in retirement because they did not pay into SS or paid very little. Remember, SS uses the last five years you worked to figure out your SS payments. That is the time to report all of your income and even try to earn more.


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## Helena

It is the five Highest...years of your wages and NOT your last five. And also remember, if you are a women that is or was married you can claim on your husbands social security. For instance, if your husbands SS is $1000 a month and your own is only say..$200 a month you can opt to receive close to $500 or half of his SS. So..he would receive the full SS of $1000 a nd your would receive around $500. Things we all should check into too. Also, as in my husbands union pension. If he should die his pension comes to me. Yes, he gets $100 a month less now on his pension to provide for me if he should die..but that is not much to ensure more money for me. Please check into your husbands pensions to see if he can provide for you on his death. I am so very grateful for this benefit. Then of course women get a widow's SS benefit. But, I often wondered why doesn't a husband receive more on his SS when his wife should die ??Hmmm..


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## where I want to

Maura said:


> People who worked under the table are at a real loss in retirement because they did not pay into SS or paid very little. Remember, SS uses the last five years you worked to figure out your SS payments. That is the time to report all of your income and even try to earn more.


Neither the last five or the highest five. Depending on age at retirement, it's about the highest thirty five years- and those years are indexed.

Only if someone is disabled very young is so few years.


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## where I want to

Helena said:


> But, I often wondered why doesn't a husband receive more on his SS when his wife should die ??Hmmm..


They can and do, depending on various rules.


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## arnie

figgered I'd be better off than I am with my pension I never thought of my every day expences riseing so fast .fuel, livestock feed,and property taxes ,auto insurance, electric, and my groceries . have risen at an astromical rate .thank goodness my union provides my medical and my gardening livestock my cooking and canning off the land .if I had to pay rent or mortgage and live out of a store; it would be scary


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## Shrek

ldc said:


> On a related subject: Anyone know of a good annuity with a solid company; now that there is no interest at the banks? Have been looking on the Net, and seems that rates have dropped in half in the last 2 years...Would appreciate any imput.(My heirs didn't even want to know where the keys are to the safety deposit box, w items eventually for them!).


I am still investing a bit in stocks and my brokerage offered a ETF that invested in about 4000 stocks that returned me a profit of over 8% for the year or so I kept my money in it. It wasn't double digit but way better than savings interest would have yielded had I just left that money in the bank for the year.

Of course being stocks it was higher risk but if you have money you can place in higher risk investments without immediately impacting your lifestyle you may want to review some stock ETFs offered by your brokerage.


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## TheMartianChick

Hubby is planning to retire in about 2 years. I work from home and can work from just about anywhere. We each have 401k's, but we will be too young to draw on them at that time. We have a few stocks and funds that are not tied to retirement and very little cash in the bank. We have rental properties to provide a steady income and we plan to rent our current home out and find something else.

Hubby will start withdrawing from his 401k about 2 years after he retires. SS would follow a few years later. We should be fine. I'm 43 this year, so I won't be eligible to draw from my 401k or SS for quite some time. We will probably always garden and raise chickens, fish, quail or something else to provide a portion of our food.

As with everyone else, we are concerned with rising costs, but we feel that we've prepared ourselves as well as we can to have a passive, steady income that is not tied to an employer. In two years, if we felt that things were looking shaky, hubby would continue to work another year or two. Hopefully, that won't happen.


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## Mutti

One of the best things we ever did was move to a rural so. MO location. Cost of living is low here, wages not great and people live simply by necessity. With us both on SS we actually have a higher income then many of our working neighbors. With a big garden,orchard, chickens, a beef in the field and a good milk cow we are still able to eat well. Good health is our biggest blessing.


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## I_don't_know

I got pregnant and my family forced me to marry at knife point. The man was a rapist, liar, cheat, and a child molester. I had 2 kids and got them both up and grown. I could not work because I had uncontrolled seizures. Every time I tried to start a small business or did something like get my RE license he would growl and complain. Did not put up a fight at the divorce, we had a mediator and he was supposed to make sure it was all fair. YA, Right!!! He had agreed to help our disabled, Aspergerâs Syndrome and some physical problems, daughter; I found her in a homeless shelter at Christmas. She now lives with me. We have managed to save enough money to buy some land in TN. I had a wreck and was in a comma for 2 months. I now have enough metal down my left side to throw a GPS off course. I went back to work 4 months after I got out of the hospital. Home Depot forced me to leave one year later. I will probably not be able to get a driverâs license for two years. So now Sue and I are both disabled. I am still trying to figure a way to make the move to TN. I cannot get the trailer set up until I am up there, but being up there with no transportation will be a bit difficult. 
I flat lined twice while I was in the comma. I talked to God 3 times. If I can have enough faith in a human bus driver to get on the bus and know he will get me where I need to go, should I not have as much faith in God. God is now my bus driver it may not be the smoothest road but I know it is the right road.


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## motdaugrnds

I can tell you what David did years ago when he was young. He started walking! He actually walked across the USA so as to reside in a southern state he thought would provide him with more job opportunities. (I do NOT suggest 2 disabled females do this! What I am saying is, where there is a will, there is a way.)

IDK, sounds to me like you are quite adept at overcoming adversities. I suspect you can overcome this one too; and I know from experience that trusting our Heavenly Father is NEVER a mistake. Just do what you can and ask Him to help you with what you cannot do. (That is literally how I winded up here on my homestead as I had nothing to start with but a disabled/dying/elderly mother whose financial situation was not much better than mine....near poverty.)

If I understand you correctly, you have enough money saved already to purchase land & a trailer in TN. Do you have a way to run water to it once it's set up? A disposal system? Do you know the construction/home building laws regulating the area? (Do a little research if you're not sure as information is always a powerful tool & you do NOT want to be stuck with a piece of land and/or trailer the local laws will not permit you to live on/in. So walk cautiously!)


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## Michgranny

Yes, we are having a very hard time. We always had plenty of food in the freezer and pantry. Now they are empty, we eat lots of pasta and rice. Everything costs so much more, we do not even buy milk anymore, it cost to much.


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## motdaugrnds

Michgranny, can you walk around your place and find wild plants that are eatable? I have discovered wild plants here that are more nutritious than bought food. I do not know what grows in Michigan; yet there are probably some wild plants that you could find. (Here in Virginia we have dock & burdock, 2 types of plantain, lambsquarter, nettle, wild onions, wild mustard greens, amaranth and others that are very nutritious. I can add these to rice/pasta for a great casserole.)

Do you have space for a vegetable garden and/or chickens and/or a milk goat? (I'm finding not having money to spend at the grocery store is just not that problematic when food can be grown/found.)


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## tarbe

This thread has been a real blessing to me.

You folks are mostly pretty much amazing.


Tim


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## fordy

..................I couldn't live on what little SS I receive each month , but I receive a small amount of royalty income that will last for several more years so that helps as well . I'm still working part time , 2 or three days a week and that income is what keeps my head above water . 
..................Also , I live in an RV park , $325 a month and that INcludes electric . If , I ever move away from here I'm quite sure I won't ever find an RV rental space where the electric is included in the Rent . My Rv , although not new , is just as nice as any mobile home I've looked at as a rental , and about 1/3 as expensive , and I don't pay any property taxes as long as I don't take the tires and wheels off of it . , fordy:happy:


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## Liberty'sGirl

We are okay. Right now I am working VERY part time, my dh retired four years ago at 50 and has been working on a Bachelors in Business which he will have in August. I am always worried that the pension will run out of $ any day and don't know if there will jobs.


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## Hoopjohn

I don't see things as bad as the gloom & doom crowd. For I still see lots & lots of people eating out, going to bars, and casino parking lots are filled. 

That doesn't mean I don't see some people really having it rough. In particular, it seems like people that were self employed and making a meager income have it particularly bad. For they tended to under report there incomes.....and as such are receiving minimal social security. And of course, those that signed up for Social Security at age 62, and getting a meager SS check to begin with.....have it really bad.
I know of people trying to survive on less than $700/month.


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## zwarte

I seem to be thriving in retirement. I have a small pension and savings. Everything is paid for and I am frugal. Where I live in Arkansas, the taxes for 41 acres are less than $100 a year.

I travel a bunch, eat well, go scuba diving and participate in my hobbies.


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## newfieannie

same here. the bit i have is paid for. i have always been frugal although if i want something bad enough i'll get it. i need another sweater like a hole in the head but they are my weakness. eating well for me is fish every day. ~Georgia.


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## Debbie in Wa

What a great thread this is. I have sat and read everyone's replies and wanted to add my own. Hubby and I are both in our 50's now, and living on disability. After working so hard the last 32 years of our marriage, we never thought we would be where we are today. A few years ago, hubby was happily employed with a wonderful company. Shortly after working there, he started to have heart issues. We thought he had the problem licked after having five heart stints. One day he was rushed to the hospital only to be flown to the hospital in the big city for open heart surgery. His company kept him on the payroll until he came home, only to give him the choice of quit or be fired. With all the medical bills, we wiped out the savings, and the doctor told him to apply for SSD.
We have been going good for the last couple of years, things being tight and all, but we are getting by. I have the checking book and bills down to a science so all bills are paid each month. We do treat ourselves out to lunch once a month when we are in the big town. We have even been able to get our lunch tab down to $15.00. I grow a garden each year, can and dehydrate quite a bit. This year we added 20 new chicks and will sell eggs again here in out little town. I also am getting good at looking at neighbors yards to see if they might have what I may need and try and barter with them. In a small town of 600, our neighbors are always will to lend a helping hand. We plan to stay here until our dying days. no hospitals for us . My daddy died at home and that's the way I want it for me and hubby. 
We never thought that we would be in the situation that we are in now, but we have adjusted. No one ever thinks that one day they would not be able to work again. Our backyard is our playground and that's o.k. for us. Good thing we are home bodies. I would love to be able to raise more of my own meat and am working on it with a friend that owns a big farm. 
We make due with what we have, and re use whenever possible.


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## SageLady

We had forced early retirements in our early 50's due to unforeseen health problems, which took us very much by surprise. Now a few years later we are doing ok, getting by on our very small monthly income. We were lucky in that our home and vehicle were paid for, and no other debt - that is the only reason we are surviving.
We mostly stay home, except for doctor appts. We rarely buy anything except the basic necessities. Our needs are simple. We garden, eat little meat, and conserve on the utilities as much as possible. We enjoy our grandkids, family, and our pets. We treasure our time together. We are happy. Life is good.


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## bruce2288

I am have a small farm, run cattle and sheep raise hay and corn and various forages. I have come to the conclusion that I will probably have to keep farming until I can not. My SS check in a few years is projected at$550 so that won't do much. I live pretty cheap, thrift store clothing, heat with wood, garden, butcher a couple of deer a year ect. It is not a bad life, just no extra money to spend frivously. I guess I am fortunate, I am a small farmer which many here are aspiring too, but it does not seem like the idealic life some speak about.


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## fordy

bruce2288 said:


> I am have a small farm, run cattle and sheep raise hay and corn and various forages. I have come to the conclusion that I will probably have to keep farming until I can not. My SS check in a few years is projected at$550 so that won't do much. I live pretty cheap, thrift store clothing, heat with wood, garden, butcher a couple of deer a year ect. It is not a bad life, just no extra money to spend frivously. I guess I am fortunate, I am a small farmer which many here are aspiring too, but it does not seem like the idealic life some speak about.


................How far do you travel to cut wood for heat and then return ? Some parts of Nb are treeless if memory serves . , fordy


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## bruce2288

Most of my wood is cut right here on the farm. Never more than ten miles. About the only relativey tree less area would be the sandhills area which is west central. I do have to laugh about some people on here who are firewood snobs, grin, and only burn oak or hickory. I wish I had that luxury.

My summer projects include a solar hot water heater and wood fired outdoor oven. trying to cut electric bill. You are fortunate to have electricity included in your rent.


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## ronron

Interesting questions and answers, looks like everyone is in the same boat insurance is just to high for everyone and the new insurance in not going to improve things for most of us.... Under Obama care we will not be allowed cancer care if you are over 75 years of age and insurance companies are required to apply a year in advance if they are wanting to raise their rates, well big surprise all yes all insurance companies have applied this year to raise their rates by 125% for next year so most insurances will increase dramatically next year, figure more than double what you are paying now. Also social security which was never taxed is now being taxed this moderate tax that was placed on SS is just a foot in the door for more taxes, the first step is always the hardest in this case.


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## Wolf mom

ronron said:


> Under Obama care we will not be allowed cancer care if you are over 75 years of age


Not True!

http://www.politifact.com/oregon/st...eniors-be-denied-cancer-treatment-under-obam/

http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/over75.asp

Interesting thread to see how people are coping. 

I've always been more cricket, than ant (sorta) and now am land rich and cash poor with a terrible real estate market in this area. My concern is that unless things change, I will outlive my savings. (longevity genes) 
So, since I've recently retired, I've been reevaluating and am making lifestyle adjustments to conserve even further. Some things, like the greenhouse I want to build, will have to be evaluated on a cost benefit basis. And since I'm still healthy, I'm considering going back to work part time.


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## MorrisonCorner

"Everything costs so much more, we do not even buy milk anymore, it cost to much."

Well.. I thought it was only me. I used to use a lot of milk. Now I try to make a gallon last at least a week. And I used to have yogurt with breakfast every morning. I know I can make yogurt less expensively than I can buy it.. but that takes milk..


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## edcopp

Dumpster diving is pretty easy. Sometimes the getting out part is hard, what with joint problems and so on. The problems seem to be a lot more obvious once the 70 mark is passed.:banana:


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## where I want to

I have found that health issues are the biggest drain. Not only mine but my animals. I had the misfortune to have a old, deteriorating dog at the exact time I had deteriorating health myself. The money evaporated.
It's not just the health care itself but all the extra costs- the trips to the big city for my treatment while trying to arrange for the care of the old dog. The special dog bed- the special people bed. The special food, vitamins, etc.
I have decided I simply can not afford another dog.


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## Belfrybat

I'm actually doing very well. I had the foresight to start contributing to an IRA when they first came out. Could only contribute for about 10 years, and not always the whole amount, but that "measely" $15,000. grew quite a bit 20+ years later with no extra additions into it. SS isn't a whole lot since I didn't work at high paying jobs (mainly self-employed), but that plus the IRA nest egg is enough that I'm living just above the poverty rate. Which, with no mortage means I'm living quite well. But that is by my standards -- by anyone else's they would probably be convinced I'm in dire straights. My needs are small and I have everything I could want. Yes, a catastrophe could wipe me out, but that is true of anyone regardless of what they make or their age.


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## emdeengee

We have always worked on the idea that prices and expenses never go down so we always assumed that we would have to earn at least 10% more each year. This has not changed with my retirement and won't change with my husband's. Our careers allow us to both continue to work contracts but who knows how long that will be possible so we put that money directly into savings and supplies.

It really is almost impossible to predict what the changes will be down the road. Investment income is fickle no matter how cautious you are and interest is a joke. 
Expenses - well they seem to do what they want.

We just got a notice of two power increases - one a percentage and the second a set fee on the first 1000 kw. We have also received a subsidy - actually a refund from when the company overcharged everyone and they got caught - of $28 a month for the past 10 years but that ends this year so in total if people use the same amount of electricity it will cost them an additional $580 a year. Our friend sells and installs small windgenerators. He has so many orders he is giddy.


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## fordy

.................I'm getting by with a little extra each month. I've had an offer to move to eastern NM as a caretaker , small tract of land , no rent and a small salary . That would immediately increase my disposable income by $325 a month . The elevation would go from 1,000 feet to ~4,300 so I'm going to ask my doc for her thoughts . Also , sandstorms are a major consideration as far as having to breathe during the period of time till they blow themselves , out . 
.................But , I'll beable to keep some chickens , acquire a dog , and live in the country.........I'll be homesteading without the property taxes . I'm very tempted but I need to investigate the accessability of medical care . , fordy


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## Ramblin Wreck

fordy said:


> .................Also , sandstorms are a major consideration as far as having to breathe during the period of time till they blow themselves , out ..................


HEPA air purifiers have really come down in price, and they should do very well in sandstorms, provided you don't lose power.


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## Ann-NWIowa

We've had more downs than ups since 1979 when we lost our home in a tornado. Moved into the new house in 12/79 and in 1/80 dh found out his job was ending. He was out of work 3 years. I had not worked in 13 years so had to retrain and get a job. We finally got back on track, got bills caught up, kids gone, and started pre-retirement planning. Then dh became disabled and even tho he got social security disability on his first application our income was reduced by 2/3's plus we suddenly had to pay COBRA at $750 a month. When COBRA ran out we had to get our own coverage which, of course, did not cover pre-existing. When Medicare kicked in for dh things started improving. I took social security at full retirement age of 66 and kept working until I was 70. During the years between 66 and 70 I was able to save most of my income which is the sum total of my retirement savings. 

We are surviving on SS plus annual payouts from 2 small IRA. We've timed the payouts to help cover household and auto insurance. We'd been living mostly on SS for the last 4 years so my retirement hasn't totally been a shock. 

Medical insurance/expenses are by far our largest budget item -- $600 a month which does not include the medicare premiums deducted from ss. So far this year our out-of-pocket medical has been double the budgeted amount i.e. $1,200. Hopefully the rest of the year improves or we'll be in deep doo doo.

We are still putting in a large garden. Our son comes and helps with the heavier jobs and the lawn mowing. I wonder how much longer we'll be able to afford to stay in our home. It is paid for, but taxes are $1,300 a year and keep increasing as does household insurance. No mortgage so we could go without insurance but that seems short sighted.

As part of our pre-retirement planning we put on a new roof, remodeled the bath to make it more handicapped friendly, replaced the furnace, water heater, a/c, carpet, vinyl flooring, refrigerator, washer, stove, freezer, tiller, stocked up on linens, clothing and built up our pantry. We were unable to replace siding and windows and now will never be able to afford to do so.

We live frugally. Most of our clothing is from thrift shops and most household goods from auctions and garage sales. Since I retired I bake all our bread and cook meals from scratch. I can, freeze, dehydrate and store what we grow in our garden. Most grocery shopping is at Aldis. We seldom eat out and the last movie we went to was Home Alone Two. If we go away from home, we take drinks and food with us.


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## Sturedman

Very interesting thread. I have no savings to speak of, but I pay off my house next week. We bought our 10 acres about a little over an hour from here. At 56, I plan on having the place out there built over the next 3 years while working, then moving out there, sell this house to live on until SS starts. My wife and I have both worked our whole lives and paid into it. If I retire at 62 I will get around 1400 a month, my wife will get about 1100. We will have no debt, and will only have living expenses. Between the gardening, a few goats and cows, well water, and solar/wind power, I am hoping we can live fairly decent on $2500 monthly. We are both healthy at the moment, and I have no idea what ins will cost, or even if I get it, I don't know yet. 

We have struggled pretty much our whole 30 years of marriage lol, so we are kind of use to it. The next 3 years is the critical time. We need to save as much as possible, while still building out there. Because of the oil/gas workers swarming this area, my house would rent for about 1500 a month. We may do that for a while before selling, and my wife working a part time job to supplement it until 62. 

We have no savings, because we have 2 kids and 2 St Bernards lol. But we have the land now, and our house here. We both have decent jobs and can live kind of cheaply for the next few years.


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## jwal10

I have been watching this thread, interesting to see how people are dealing with their retirement. I have been lucky. I had a good start when I went out on on my own at 12. 60 sheep, 20 cows and a little bit of old equipment that I had put together working summers and building the herds during the winters. I was in 4H and later FFA. I started with 6 ewes my parents bought me to help rehab from polio when I was 7. I worked at a dairy for the crossbred heifer calves and bottle raised them, the summer I was 10. We grew the farm to 2000 acres over the next 20 years, half crops and 1/2 timber/pasture but We had to sell out because of health problems when I was 37 in 1992. We have always gardened and lived off the land. Now that I have had to take full retirement at 55 (2 yrs ago) we are doing alright. I did take a job to help out our hometown, 16 hrs a week for the last 2 years but in April I retired for good. We have PERS retirement, payments from the farm until I am 70 and other savings and retirement funds. We live comfortably, We have moved back to the off grid cabin on 1 acre. DS has a cabin here also and helps take care of the gardens, greenhouse and animals. He works at the grade school and has his summers off. We have rentals together with the kids, they run the day to day and I help with light maint as needed. We were putting the rent money back into that enterprise but with no more building, the pot is growing fast now. We also have a 4 acre farm with barn, an apartment upstairs and a nice fishing pond. A very small beach cabin and the lake cabin for all the family to use. DW and I also have rent from the town cottage we were living in. Everything is in the kids names now, with rights to use as long as we live. We don't have to worry about any of that, we can totally enjoy our retirement. DW retired after DS graduated H.S, she is not in very good health so we set up our properties years ago for ease of living and minimal maint. I do almost all the housework and make 1/2 the meals. When I first retired we were living at the off grid cabin but it became too much when I was working 1/2 time so we moved into our cottage in town, I could walk to work and we had full utilities there. Now we are back where we want to be. With DS here and me not working we can do it again. Tending the wood stove is the big thing, in the winter. This summer is like a beautiful camping trip but sleeping in a nice bed. We are enjoying this time, spending time at each place and getting caught up on any/all needed maint. We just got back from a 3 week family vacation at the cabin at Wallowa Lake. We will be going back to the beach cabin in a few weeks to smoke and can tuna and then again when the Salmon run to smoke and can them. Anyway, we are out here now, summer is easy. We eat out of the garden, milk from the goats and the animals we raise. We cook outdoors to keep the cabin cool. Gravity fed spring water is heated by the sun, solar and micro hydro electrical systems. Life is easy and good. Money.... DD takes care of the books, she let us use that little plastic debit card for gas. I carry a $20 but never seem to need it....James


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## MichaelZ

It is pretty bad when the most reliable car we have now is the 99 Buick I got for my son to use to get to college! Food bills over $150 a week and homeschool curriculum costs. We may need to get an equity loan just to pay taxes!


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## mnn2501

> If I retire at 62 I will get around......


Why would anyone retire (on SS) at age 62 when if you work til 66 you'd get about 1/3 more each month? (not to mention 4 more years of paychecks, benefits, etc) assuming you're halfway healthy.

I don't get it, my brother who never saved a dime toward retirement retired at 62 and now he's struggling to survive. My plan is to work until 67 or 68 and I have money in 401K and an IRA. No way are my final years going to be a struggle just to survive.


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## Bellyman

mnn2501 said:


> Why would anyone retire (on SS) at age 62 when if you work til 66 you'd get about 1/3 more each month? (not to mention 4 more years of paychecks, benefits, etc) assuming you're halfway healthy.
> 
> I don't get it, my brother who never saved a dime toward retirement retired at 62 and now he's struggling to survive. My plan is to work until 67 or 68 and I have money in 401K and an IRA. No way are my final years going to be a struggle just to survive.


People have to work out what is best for them. Some people are probably wise to take it early. Some are wise to take it later. 

For someone who's family history says they'll only likely live to be 70 or so, why would they work till they're 67? For someone who's family history says they'll likely live to be 100, then yes, it's more than likely best to wait. I know, there's nothing in a person's history that says how long they'll live. But there are a lot of people who don't survive retirement long enough for the difference in monthly income to matter much. 

And there are some other factors that may affect a decision. 

My wife and I recently put some figures to spreadsheet just to see how retiring at different times would affect not just the monthly income but also the total payout over a given time. We were surprised to find out that it would take almost 20 years before the total amount collected by waiting exceeded the total amount collected by taking it early. Perhaps another important question might be what the intended use of said money would be. If a portion were going to be put towards other investments, that could be a game changer. 

It's just not that simple and one size does not fit all.


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## Ramblin Wreck

Bellyman said:


> My wife and I recently put some figures to spreadsheet just to see how retiring at different times would affect not just the monthly income but also the total payout over a given time. We were surprised to find out that it would take almost 20 years before the total amount collected by waiting exceeded the total amount collected by taking it early. Perhaps another important question might be what the intended use of said money would be. If a portion were going to be put towards other investments, that could be a game changer.
> 
> It's just not that simple and one size does not fit all.


Yeah, it's not a simple, cut & dried situation at all. A couple of weeks ago I signed up for on-line access to my social security account. I'm still several years away from eligibility, but I wanted to start doing some projections. Using the benefit estimates in the system, I calculated total proceeds for retirement at 62, 66.75, and 70. Using an expected life of 85, the proceeds (exclusive of any cost of living adjustments) was $469K for age 62, $519K for 66.75, and $537K. So waiting longer would result in drawing down more $'s, assuming I didn't kick the bucket until 85; however, there are several big IF's involved. The first big if is will God even think about putting up with me until 85. I'm amazed he still tolerates me at this point. Inflation is another big IF. You have to assume that a dollar at 62 will purchase more than it will at 70. Similar to the inflation IF is the time value of money IF. If you can invest your money at 62 and make it work for you, it might more than make up for the difference in social security payout over your life. There's also an income tax IF. Will you pay more in taxes for the higher payout at 70 than you would for the lower payout at 62? That one is really tough to figure, maybe impossible since we have no crystal ball on what Congress might do on taxes.


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## jwal10

Why not take it early and enjoy it, you won't take it with you. We have given all we want to the kids, we have given them a good start. Figured better now than when we leave this globe. Now we don't have to worry about anything. Money will outlast us and Sweetie and I can enjoy our time together. Who knows how much time we have here. My health has never been real good and working was not helping that. I have a good grasp on what I need to do to take good care of myself and we can do what we want now while we can. Money in the end is not everything in life....James


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## bigfoot2you

Holy Smoke, if anybody had told me we would be in this shape 15 yrs ago I would have just laughed...........I worked for large insurance co for 33 years until I simply couldn't stand the crap anymore and took my retirement. Was in the position with my pension I would be getting to find part time work doing something I LIKED and get along fine. HA HA HA............Hubby was self employed and doing very well with no intentions of stopping. Then life got in the way !!! Enter a heart virus for hubby and near death from his vein blowing from the vein puncture. Business he had worked up so hard and long flew out the window. My retirement used to cover my insurances, until they went up 3 times, not anymore. Hubby is on disability for a heart that will never repair itself.........which pays the house payment.....that's it. I have a full time job in a bank making $10 an hour..........when steak is over $10 a steak I am not getting ahead, never mind not eating steak!! We are just barely making it. I owe 2 years taxes but other bills are paid. Thankfully we were frugal and I have now cut back as far as I can! Everything is old and needs repair.........we had a goodly amount of savings but the illness has sucked that up. I guess I'll try for a 2nd job to get some money on those taxes...........life is grand, yes indeed !!


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## Ann-NWIowa

I started drawing ss at 66, but continued working until 70. When you continue working beyond your retirement age, your ss benefit will increase a bit each year. 

My job was preparing bankruptcies so I had a front row seat to retirement financial disasters for many years. The worst problem was people not immediately adjusting living expenses down to retirement income. Instead they continued to live like they were still earning by using credit until eventually it all came crashing down. Having seen the issues we started living as much as possible on just ss when I started drawing ss. I also track every penny we spend and each year adjust our budget. We aren't able to manage 100% on ss but close.


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## Micheal

If'n I may, to those that figure on drawing SS at 62 or whenever. 
Remember one thing any and all increases that are given to those getting SS is in a percentage; yes to the individual it's expressed in a dollar amount but it derived via a %.
Just one other reason to delay starting SS unless reasons warrant it.

I know the gap between what the wife draws and what I draw widens with every raise the gov gives out.......
As I said just something to keep in mind.....


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## mnn2501

jwal10 said:


> Why not take it early and enjoy it, you won't take it with you.


Because for most people, its not an amount they can live on unless they have other investments to supplement it.
And reports I've seen lately shows that over 60% of seniors rely on nothing but SS


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## sss3

When O' went into office, he signed something; saying there would be no future raises on SS. This went on for 3 yrs. About election time, we were given 1.7 increases. WOOPEE! I'm thinking there will be no more SS increases.


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## ET1 SS

mnn2501 said:


> Because for most people, its not an amount they can live on unless they have other investments to supplement it.
> And reports I've seen lately shows that over 60% of seniors rely on nothing but SS


SS was not meant to ever be anyone's sole source of revenue. It is purely a backup, to add onto whatever your normal source of revenue is. Everyone knows this and has known this since SSA was formed.

As you point out a lot of people choose to go into their later years with no revenue outside of SS.

Of course a few of them had investments and lost them due to unforeseen circumstances. I suspect that such is a rarity.


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## ldc

ET1, It is NOT a rarity here...every 50-something person I know has had this happen; here (LA) and on the East Coast where I grew up. You are very lucky to have missed the all-too-regular catastrophes of our time. 

In response to our Maine correspondent below: Am editing to add not that every person I knew had reached their portfolio dreams only to lose it, (though many did), but others lost 401K's, (mine was sold overseas!), rental housing, second income for savings, primary career, etc. My point was that the people I knew all had planned something, that has now disappeared.


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## ET1 SS

ldc said:


> ET1, It is NOT a rarity here...every 50-something person I know has had this happen; here (LA) and on the East Coast where I grew up. You are very lucky to have missed the all-too-regular catastrophes of our time.


Every 50-something has had a portfolio on-track to support them when they got old, and every one of them lost it?

Wow !

That is amazing.



btw, I built-up a collection of Multi-Family-Rentals when I was working, and I was looking at a very reasonable Net Worth. But I lost it all in this Recession.

Those of us who build Net Worths are not the norm.


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## where I want to

First- Obama couldn't sign anything eliminating Social Security COLAs. That would take an act of Congress. What he did do is eliminate COLA for government employees.

Social Security has a benefit formulation that basically averages many years of earning and the pays a progessive scale (in reverse) of that average. So Social Security is never going to come close to paying what a person's wages were when they retired.

But there is one huge advantage that people get- most of Social Security is not taxed for most people. A few do pay some tax but no where near what they would pay for other kinds of income.


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## sss3

I think this is a hard topic for people to admit to. I think that the world has changed significantly since the advent of SS. IMO many tried to prepare for retirement, but have lost it due to economic failures. Not trying to start an argument; just my thoughts.


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## where I want to

One of the problems I have noted was the prolific increase in "fees" or small tax bites. Things that are not large but have accumulated so that, in addition to tax increases, there are so many $5, $10 or $100 additions I have to pay. Sigh.............


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## ceresone

Since I only go to town about once a month, The raises I see in everything is shocking! Most canned goods are about $2. a can--apples were 7.19 a pound! Taxes are raising, insurance, house, car, health- everything! I should'nt have a problem shedding pounds!!


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## jwal10

ceresone said:


> Since I only go to town about once a month, The raises I see in everything is shocking! Most canned goods are about $2. a can--apples were 7.19 a pound! Taxes are raising, insurance, house, car, health- everything! I should'nt have a problem shedding pounds!!


Try once or twice a year. I don't even try to keep up. Saw gas price when I went by on way to Lake. Filled up on way home 3 weeks later, $0.30 higher, wow. I needed some 8d galvanized nails, The junk store didn't have any. DS picked them up for me, $5.99 for a little box, 2 lbs I think....James


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## Staceyy

MorrisonCorner said:


> "Everything costs so much more, we do not even buy milk anymore, it cost to much."
> 
> Well.. I thought it was only me. I used to use a lot of milk. Now I try to make a gallon last at least a week. And I used to have yogurt with breakfast every morning. I know I can make yogurt less expensively than I can buy it.. but that takes milk..



I buy whole milk and mix it with half water at the time of use. It will taste like 2% milk. This cuts my milk costs in half. I use this in all my cooking and baking. It does not work for yogurt though.


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## plowhand

ET1 SS said:


> Every 50-something has had a portfolio on-track to support them when they got old, and every one of them lost it?
> 
> Wow !
> 
> That is amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> btw, I built-up a collection of Multi-Family-Rentals when I was working, and I was looking at a very reasonable Net Worth. But I lost it all in this Recession.
> 
> Those of us who build Net Worths are not the norm.


 I know several older folk in my community that had assets, that lost significantly in one or more of several incomes....If you have a million at 4% and it falls to less than 1/2%....that's a significant loss in my book. Also think about the people that were born just before and at the beginning of the Great Depression...they don't trust things like the stock market too much.


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## ET1 SS

plowhand said:


> I know several older folk in my community that had assets, that lost significantly in one or more of several incomes....If you have a million at 4% and it falls to less than 1/2%....that's a significant loss in my book. Also think about the people that were born just before and at the beginning of the Great Depression...they don't trust things like the stock market too much.


My parents were born in the decade preceding the GD, they hated banks, lawyers, and the stock market.

I am well aware that folks have lost much. As I explained I lost much.

The post your quoting was about: 
"... every 50-something person I know has had this happen"


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## TnAndy

ET1 SS said:


> Those of us who build Net Worths are not the norm.


Apparently so. 

Wife and I came from nearly nothing, worked hard for many, many years ( both of us started working in our teens ), saved and lived below our means, invested in many forms.....stocks, IRA mutual funds, raw land, rental property I built, precious metals, and though some of those ( most notably stocks ) crapped out, others did very well. 

We also invested in our place, making it as self supporting as possible, so now we have no water, sewer or electric bill (solar) and raise much of our own food.

Now, we're both retired, me 62, her 60, and our income comes from my SS, $870/mo, her State teacher's pension $4k/mo, and 13 yrs remaining on a 15yr mortgage on land we sold @1400/mo. We put about 25-30% of that in savings.....the mortgage money. I have my doubts as to whether the guy will ever make it the full 15yrs, so we don't really count on that money.

Biggest expenses are health, property and auto insurances, income and property taxes, and projects we're still doing around the place.


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## tarbe

TnAndy said:


> her State teacher's pension $4k/mo



Wow!

A $4k/month retirement from the petrochemical company I retired from (and work at, again) would correspond to a high-3 annual income of about $200,000 per year, at retirement.

That is one serious teacher's retirement! Good for you guys!

I wonder how many teachers could hope for something like that, going forward?

I doubt very many??


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## TnAndy

Well, ANY teacher in TN can....assuming they get the same education and work the same number of years, unless they don't change the retirement system. Actually, many of the higher paid city systems do far better than hers, which was a small county system.

She started as a classroom teacher, then got her masters degree, which upped her pay. Then she was moved to a supervisory position ( not her choice ), and along the way, got her doctorate degree. Then, she worked 32 years total.

Also, she took the TN leveling option.....meaning the State increased her pension until she turns 62 ( total of 3 years....she retired at 59 ), then they reduce it the amount of SS.....about 1400/mo. So from 62 on, the State will pay 2600, and the other 1400 will come from SS.


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## edcopp

A self employed person might decide to retire on S.S. at the age of 62.

There are a number of reasons.

At age 61 the individual might have by-pass surgery. Thinking that they were insured only to find out that they were about half right and ending up with a balance owed of say $65,000.

The self employment might get sidelined for a year or so, but the bill collectors will arrive in just minutes. If a state owned facility was involved the attorney general of that state will end up being the bill collector.

Now the collectors can not attach Social Security income. So one might do this early retirement to avoid living outdoors, and to eat properly.

One may find that the existing insurance that they have is very lacking, and want to improve that situation. Problem here is that if the word "Heart" appears anywhere in ones medical file, the cost of the insurance will exceed the income of the applicant or; be completely unavailable at any cost.

Soon there may be a judgement, judges love this kind of work. Judges are also lawyers, and their friends the lawyers love the work of gathering up assets for their clients. One may find that they are facing all sorts of legal activity that all comes with a cost involved. Sometimes it is good to eat a meal, and get a nights sleep where you need not fear the loss on that little shelter from the storm.

This might be a good reason to retire early, and get used to living on a very small amount of money.


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## Spinner

Helena said:


> Was wondering how many of "us' retired folks are just making it on what they have now in $$.... What do the "simple folk"do ???


This "simple folk" does everything possible to live like our ancestors did. That means growing, dehydrating, and canning as much as possible to last year round without power to preserve it. It includes chickens for meat & eggs, goats for meat & milk, guineas for pest control, LGD to protect the animals from predators. I'm so far out in the middle of nowhere that my biggest worry is bears, big cats, feral hogs, and a few local scavengers. They aren't really a problem, but could be, awareness and preparedness is the first step to safety.

For income I invested in rental property many MANY years ago. As long as the economy is good enough for renters to pay, I'll have an income. Not a large income, but enough to pay my few bills for the necessities I can't produce myself. If the bottom drops out and nobody can rent, I'll let my adult kids live in those houses as long as they can pay the tax on them. If it gets to bad for that, then I'll sell for whatever I can get or lose them for taxes (scary thought!). 

Life & health insurance... what's that? I haven't had insurance for the past 40 years and probably never will. If I get some expensive disease that can't be treated holistically then I guess I'll move on to the next world along with my ancestors. I have no doubt that it's a better place than where I am now. 

Transportation... is sometimes a problem. I have to drive 100 miles to do any shopping. I've drove without brakes, having to carry water for when the car overheats, drove without tags or ins at times. A person does whatever they have to to survive. My old car has over 100,000 miles and won't last forever, but I have no way to replace it so I'll drive it till it won't go no more, then sell it for scrap and look to buy another junker that will get me to town when I need to go. If worse comes to worse, I'll ride a horse and haul stuff in saddle bags. Not a first choice, but better than laying down to die. 

Life is hard for an old lady on her own, but with a plan, it can be done.


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## lmrose

I_don't_know said:


> I got pregnant and my family forced me to marry at knife point. The man was a rapist, liar, cheat, and a child molester. I had 2 kids and got them both up and grown. I could not work because I had uncontrolled seizures. Every time I tried to start a small business or did something like get my RE license he would growl and complain. Did not put up a fight at the divorce, we had a mediator and he was supposed to make sure it was all fair. YA, Right!!! He had agreed to help our disabled, Aspergerâs Syndrome and some physical problems, daughter; I found her in a homeless shelter at Christmas. She now lives with me. We have managed to save enough money to buy some land in TN. I had a wreck and was in a comma for 2 months. I now have enough metal down my left side to throw a GPS off course. I went back to work 4 months after I got out of the hospital. Home Depot forced me to leave one year later. I will probably not be able to get a driverâs license for two years. So now Sue and I are both disabled. I am still trying to figure a way to make the move to TN. I cannot get the trailer set up until I am up there, but being up there with no transportation will be a bit difficult.
> I flat lined twice while I was in the comma. I talked to God 3 times. If I can have enough faith in a human bus driver to get on the bus and know he will get me where I need to go, should I not have as much faith in God. God is now my bus driver it may not be the smoothest road but I know it is the right road.


I was wondering how you and Sue are doing now? You certainly have spunk to keep planning to move when you have been through so much! I agree with you that "God is our bus driver." Without Him we would get no where fast.I am praying for you and your daughter. Hope all works out for you.


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## Maxiem 1530

My wife and I are mid 40`s. We have no hope of ever saving enough for retirement. My plan is to pay off debt as fast as possible while we build up our homestead and home based Waterjet cutting business. As there is no way we can ever save enough for retirement, our only other option is to plan now and build infrastructure over time such that in retirement our expenses are very little.


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## countrytime

Sturedman said:


> Very interesting thread. I have no savings to speak of, but I pay off my house next week. I am hoping we can live fairly decent on $2500 monthly.
> 
> WOW! I would feel rich on $2500.00 a month--never made that much a month after taxes in 26 years of working. I raise 3 kids on $860.00 a month--house is paid for and we live very frugally. No cell phones except 1 Walmart add minutes phone--no cable TV, eating out is a very rare treat----raise a huge garden, raise all our own meat, can and freeze----hope to learn about using goats milk soon instead of fattening the pigs on it. What kills my budget is the taxes and insurance on the house and my old truck--takes $200.00 a month out of the budget. I personally feel blessed--there are a lot of others that are in worse shape---wouldn't know it around here with the fancy, shiny new cars and huge houses---but jobs are few and far between. In my area it seems you are either poor, financed to the hilt, or rich.


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## lindamarie

We live on less than $900.00 a month. Dhs disability. Cabin and land paid for, drive old vehicles, completely off grid, no food stamps, dh has Medicare and a prescription drug plan I have no insurance but applied last year for va medical benefits. Spent 6 years army. Have a cell phone as land lines stop 3 miles away along with power lines. We live very frugally.


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## lissacamille

Very interesting thread! I am 48 and a fulltime caregiver to my beautiful grandchildren. My husband is 60 and works for the state of Oklahoma. We are planning on his retirement in two years. We will have his military retirement, his state retirement (which is very little), and SS. I think we will do quite well, although the house won't be paid off everything else is. We won't draw from his 401K until we have to. The house is in pretty good condition although we are trying to make improvements that will be necessary for retirement living. Our acreage is being cleared for more homesteading projects such as a larger garden, an orchard, and a much larger chicken pen, etc.
My view is this: why work in an office when you can work outside and do just as well? My husband is 12 years older than I; I dread the day when he's gone and I will be alone. So I want to take advantage of early retirement just to be with him and all our children and grandchildren. Sure, he could work until his late sixties and earn a lot more in retirement. But why? My life doesn't revolve around having more money. What we will have is fine. I'd rather live frugally and see my husband working outdoors like he loves to do rather than go to a boring job everyday.


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## jwal10

Can go both ways. I worked as long as I enjoyed it. I retired at 37 because of health issues. Went back to work as I could, then a job came along that I could not say no to. It had a retirement but I did not take the job because of it. We pooled the family money and got the kids settled and off to a great start. They have no morgages or payments at all. Now is our time to enjoy life. When the job went sideways AND was interfering with my health, I took early retirement. We were living off grid in a small cabin. We decided to take a year off, away from everything. Doing what we put to paper and pencil, take it easy, but stay busy. The kids did the gardening and a lot of the processing this year. We have been traveling between our beach cottage and lake cabin. Doing a little upgrading that was put off while working. Thats done, we are spending a lot of our time at the beach cottage now. Living is very cheap for us, we have a garden and can, dehydrate and extend the seasons for fresh fruits and vegetables. Hunt for meat and raise small animals for food. If you don't have/need much, life is very simple, VERY good. We use very little gas, just to get from place to place, then we ride bicycles to get around the area. Keeps us fit. As of right now we only have the minimum car insurance that the state mandates and a catastrophic health rider. Insurance was provided by the job for 16 years, we didn't pay a dime for it, but those days are over. Our properties are so small that taxes are cheap. We pay as we go. We buy local made, if not available we buy mid /lower range items and take care of them. I don't want/need O' no care but we will see what happens....James


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