# most expensive thing about retirement



## Huntmo1

I know that some version of this has been done before, but for someone who is a few years from retirement and planning ahead, I would like to get everyone's inputs on what they feel are the most expensive aspects of being retired? For the sake of argument, let's rule out "mortgage" and assume that your house is paid off. Aside from housing, what is the next biggest bill that you have to worry about? Any surprising bills or expenses that you didn't think you'd have to worry about that you now find yourself having to budget for?

Thanks everyone!


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## where I want to

Taxes, clearly for most years, health costs in those years that you have problems and last insurances. 
Yes- when I figured out my pre-retirement budget to see if it was feasible to retire, I planned on having savings for unexpected expenses that I would not touch for a few years. Otherwise I planned on using my income only.
That went out the window when three unexpected large expensive things happened in one month that was beyond my income. It happened within a year of retirement. I needed to break open a retirement account that I planned on holding. 
Oh well- flexibility is good.


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## ldc

I'm working 1/2 time due to the economic situation here, so not retired yet, but for my friends who early retired, they've all said that they planned for one more roof, but not for all the plumbing and hurricane related house/tree damage that has hit us here in the past 7 years. When they had made estimates/predictions based upon the last 30 years for repairs, that their estimates were grossly inadequate and had indeed used the dollar amt they had set aside for 20-30 years of such repairs in 7 years, even allowing for (earlier amounts of) inflation...


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## pancho

I am the lucky type. No expences at all. Much cheaper to live a retired life than a working life. Gas useage had dropped by 75%. Even the grocery bill has dropped.


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## Big Dave

MED's hands down.


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## TxGypsy

Mine probably won't apply to anyone else. I don't see MD's and don't take pharmaceuticals....and don't plan to start. If I did, that would be my biggest expense.

My biggest normal expense is fuel. I travel a LOT! As far as things associated with my life when I'm not moving around.....seems like I'm always spending money on the house. A new toilet here, a new ceiling fan there, a load of dirt to raise up that low place that doesn't drain well. It seems like it is endless. Fortunately I just sold my place and I'm going to build something much, much simpler.


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## Micheal

lanewilliam21 said:


> I know that some version of this has been done before, but for someone who is a few years from retirement and planning ahead, I would like to get everyone's inputs on what they feel are the most expensive aspects of being retired?...... Any surprising bills or expenses that you didn't think you'd have to worry about that you now find yourself having to budget for?


 Let me turn this around - What surprising bills or expenses do you have working/not being retired? :shrug: 
I've found that most all the surprising expenses there are will be the same be it a person is working or retired. Hey, car repair here, new water heater there, emergency doctor/hospital bill, rises in insurance or taxes, inflation, etc.

The only thing I can really say that was somewhat strange to adjust to; being on a "fixed" income. That "pay" (SS/pension) check coming only once a month. And always the same amount........:drum:
eep:


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## WoodinVirginia

MEDICATION, health care costs and fuel . The other expenses related to weather damages you just can't plan for especially in the is age of climate change. Tornadoes can appear anywhere from NORTH DAKOTA to NEW MEXICO. Your planning while you are working will determine your 'income' when you retire. Have friends who collected guitars, guns or antiques when they were working and now sell them as a side business now that they are declared as 'retired'.

Then I have other friends [mostly govt or state retirees in good health] who sold their Mcmansion's.. sold all furniture/gave away excess crap and moved to Costa Rica, South America or the PHILIPPINES generally before they were 75. Those are the ones [especially military retired] who say it is possible for 2 to live for 800 a month or less with rent, food, utilities and internet. Have some great places to visit when I get bored ;.]


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## ET1 SS

I never expected healthcare to cost so much.

Health insurance is really high. My pension is not much, but it provides a group-type of plan for us. My enrollment fee just went up, and our co-pays went up.

But if I had to find my own health insurance today, it would be far more than my pension.

So of what I receive, the healthcare is far more valuable then the pension.


Taxes? no, not really. We have done the math before. I pay no income tax. Our property taxes are low we only have 150 acres so less than $1,000/year. All taxes combined are less than 10% of my income.

Our biggest expense would be healthcare.


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## emdeengee

Before I retired and even now we have factored in an increase to our income (work or pension) of 10% per year just to cover cost increases and so called inflation. It is clear that 10% won't be enough if things continue as they are.

Since we live in Canada we do not have to face any healthcare expenses. The portion of our income tax that goes to healthcare is 10% so last year our healthcare cost $1600. 

The most unpredictable expense so far has been heating fuel and groceries. The fuel because the price varies and since this is Canada and winters are cold -or not- and long -or not- it really is hard to budget this expense. We put the same amount of money aside every month and what isn't used this year will just be sitting there waiting for next year which may be colder and longer. 

The increase in groceries (not counting what we grow and harvest for ourselves) has had one great benefit. We are more conscious of not over eating so control our portion sizes and the number of servings. This makes an enormous difference to the planning and stocking up situation. Increases in prices have also eliminated the purchase of any prepared or junk food over the past few years. I still miss potato chips so we buy them sometimes when they are on sale. 

Another expense that will be unpredictable is veterinary bills. We continue to save for what may be in the future. So far so good.


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## Ramblin Wreck

For me, buying adjoining property from family and a neighbor have been my biggest surprise expenses. My sister and her husband were hit hard by the housing bust, so she had to sell her part of the family farm. It was either watch it get away from the family or buy it. The neighbor immediately to my south put his 40 acre tract up for sale. My brother and I bought it, at what I think was/is a great price. Still, both purchases were not planned or expected when I retired in late 2007. I refinanced the farm house to help pay for it, so instead of being debt free, I still have a mortgage. Thank God I can afford it, but I was really looking foward to burning the mortgage...maybe one day.


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## mekasmom

lanewilliam21 said:


> I would like to get everyone's inputs on what they feel are the most expensive aspects of being retired?


Children in need of money. Grandchildren in need of being spoiled. And health care costs.

And I forgot to add-- critters in need of vet care. They are far behind the cost of the other things though.


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## newcolorado

Me, it is medical expenses, Ins now $225 a month, plus 4 prescriptions which are the low cost generic. I have copays for Drs. I was able cut my med cost some last year on copays by using lab and not the clinic. I would not be suprised if it figures out about $300 a month total for ins, Prescriptions, copays if things are are pretty normal. But if get sick it will add more I know. OTC vitamins and such another $100 I guess and been trying to cut that down to that. I have not added it up. I need too.

Living out in a small town long ways to city. Store here high on most things so buy in city. That is drawback for living here. I stock in the city on things. BUT the senior bus goes once a month to big city and I use that for Dr and such and can shop some. Bus goes to another city at least once or twice a month for shopping and such. Dollar donation or more if you want. You buy your lunch or can take with you. They come to house and pick you and bring you home. Other days the bus runs here in town. Meals are senior center 4 days a week which I donot go to as on diet and the cost. Rec center is free for seniors to use. With the senior programs is better than anywhere I know. Summer a trip/picnic out somewhere once a month. There is hospital here and new one had opened this month,m they have senior apts and assisted living and nursing home. BUT no private Drs and the ones at clinic rotate and some change and just one seems to stay here all the time. My Dr is 80 miles away. Go on the bus. Two times a year. Eye Dr 90 miles away and go twice a year on the bus. Regular visit works okay. I am waiting to see how much the Dec bill is as got sick with the flu. SICK. ER bill and a Dr visit. Yeah, some Drs here okay but one I saw in Nov was a nitwit. I have told family I will never go to him again. I waas suppose to have seen the main Dr but he went out on call. Dec one was very good. She looked at my file folder first. So there is draw back here. But I live next door to my son. Only reason here. Gave up the farm after getting sick. I am 81. 

I use the rec center to walk in bad weather. I would rather walk outside. Dr says keep walking my mile a day.. Rec center will get in 4 day a week maybe some times 5 and that is best I can do. He knows I will not go out and walk when bad. I missed a whole month of walking due to flu. 

Retirement and getting old is so much fun. 











Utilities here on this house I really have not a handle on yet as I moved here last Jan. Lawn was put in late so what the water bill will be not sure but high water bill summers and heat bills in the winter. This winter is COLD down to 27 below. $300 a month for utilities and that includes the phone and internet I will budget year around. I donot have TV as no free TV here, only cable or dish to get it.


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## Ramblin Wreck

mekasmom said:


> Children in need of money.


My brothers and I grouse about this all the time. As adults, we never asked our parents for money. Once we left home, it was our responsibility to make a living. That's not to say our parents didn't help out. They provided day care/baby sitting at times and would loan you a truck or chain saw, but we never thought about asking for $'s. That doesn't seem to be the norm any longer.


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## emdeengee

Our response to the request for monetary assistance by our adult children would be (not that this is ever going to happen) that we will always provide beds and food and warmth and love when times are hard - but not money. We should be considered the Ark for the family but not the bank. And before you ask for assistance you had better have sold everything you own and done everything you could do to fix your own mess. And if part of that mess is consumer debt and living beyond your means and not saving for bad times then expect a lot of criticism. And when you come back home to live it is as a guest and our rules apply to everyone including the dogs and cats.

Of course we are lucky in that we do not have to factor in the need for monetary support for medical care because we live in Canada. That would be the only reason money would be introduced into the conversation.


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## arnie

TAXES THEY ARE EXTRA HARD TO PAY ;I was axed on this money 1 time when I erned it at work .nw as I recive it in the form of a pencion it is taxed again ;


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## Mattemma

Healthcare and property tax.It is shameful that people can lose their home over property tax.Some elderly have to choose between paying the tax,getting their meds,or eating. If they have a *nest egg* of money in the bank,or they own their home they are not allowed many programs.My mom goes through this.


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## ET1 SS

Mattemma said:


> Healthcare and property tax. It is shameful that people can lose their home over property tax. Some elderly have to choose between paying the tax, getting their meds, or eating. If they have a *nest egg* of money in the bank, or they own their home they are not allowed many programs. My mom goes through this.


I understand healthcare, which is soon to go up even more.

But property taxes? It says your in Ohio. I never thought of Ohio as high in taxes.

For our house and 150 acres we pay less than $1k/year.


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## ozarkchaz

Inflation, Property Taxes, Healthcare, Income taxes... probably in that order


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## SageLady

ozarkchaz said:


> Inflation, Property Taxes, Healthcare, Income taxes... probably in that order


Yep, all of the above.

Unexpected health problems have been our biggest expense along with the prescription meds that go along with them. You think you will be healthy forever, but life has a way of changing that unexpectedly sometimes no matter how well you have taken care of yourself....


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## Ana Bluebird

Children in need of money. (Not really, more like adult children).


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## lonelytree

The only times my kids would ask for money is for a true emergency or to buy something when they couldn't get enough out of an ATM. Such as a smokin deal on Craigslist. It would be paid back in full as soon as time to get to a bank would allow. They were both taught the basics of economic survival early in their upbringing. 

Now, if they can just find worthy mates with the same values.......


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## danielsumner

Health insurance, I pay over a $1000 a month.


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## Shrek

The same things that are expensive before retirement are just as expensive or more expensive in retirement as age and income limitations are often major factors in the expense of whatever.

Retirement is not living without a job. Retirement simply becomes your new job.

With that new job comes a new job description and personal financial sorces, levels and budgeting requirements.

Regardless of what your preretirement career was, your post retirement job will be mostly accounting based and if your lucky you will be able to cover your retirement essentials, enjoy not punching a time clock with every minute of your day scheduled, enjoy sleeping in or the occasional day of special personal pleasure of your choosing.

If you do it all good , you get to enjoy your sunset years as much as possible ,die broke after being able to prepay your final expenses so relatives don't fight too much over what little you leave behind and folks remember you with a slight smile or amusing anecdote about you years after your gone..


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## Ramblin Wreck

Just got my March Consumer Reports magazine and it had a one pager on the "Three keys to a great retirement". The first key was setting realistic financial boundaries with your adult children (something discussed by me and others above). The second was getting your housing situation straight before retiring, not attempting to handle it after you walk away from work. The third was making sure you have hobbies or a second career assist in the transition from work life. The farm keeps me plenty busy around here...too busy some days. But it's where I want to be, and hopefully it'll still be here after this drenching we are getting just now...thankfully no tornadoes though.


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## jassytoo

The biggest adjustment for us has been having a fixed income and trying to plan for inflation. We did the numbers before DH retired but who can plan for an unknown future? Just hope we socked away enough.


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## Sawmill Jim

It is easy to tell those that have never been self employed . To me the fixed income is the best part . Try being self employed an someone be late paying you a few thousand dollars .At least a fixed income is there i never knew from one day to the next what i was going to have .


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## jassytoo

Yes, that's true. My DS2 has his own business and has had to wait too long for payments. I do like a steady income for sure but when DH was working his wage always kept up with inflation. He had regular raises which were very generous. Soc.Sec. raises certainly don't keep up with inflation and investments are a lottery. My main concern is running out of money before we run out of breath.


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## lmrose

We have lived off the land and cheaply for 35 years and 28 yrs on the farm. We also went to the woods and cut our own wood and hauled it home with a horse and cart. I rode a bicycle to town to do errands or walked ten miles to get there. Now at 68 and 66 yrs all is changing. 

My husband should not be going to the woods alone anymore as he has a heart problem. The horse is also 30+ years old and on his last legs. To buy five cord of wood in long lengths will cost us about $600 a year and will not be enough in a cold winter.
I now need orthodics and special shoes which cost $500 a year. I ruined my feet walking too much for years. We both need eyeglasses and dentist appointments and transportation to get there.

Neither of us can ride bikes to town anymore; me because of my eyesight and my husband because of a bad knee and his heart problem A taxi from town to the farm is $18 to $22 one direction so that is out of the question. 
We have to pay someone to take us to town as gas isn't free and steadily increasing in price. We have to rely on others to help us get dairy feed home when we need it.

If I need to go to the city for eye appointments it cost $140 round trip to go 180 miles away. 

Electricity keeps going up too except we keep cutting back do that is a lesser expense.
We can still garden and raise most of our food which helps but the farm work is getting harder for my husband.

We are finding living is much more expensive as we get older so decided we should sell the farm and move closer to town. So far we haven't been able to find a small house and a few acres to have gardens ,one goat and a few hens. When we do it will cost much more than we paid for our present place.
The way I see it getting older will just keep getting more expensive as we age.


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## Maura

You shouldn't be loosing your home over property taxes, or not eating because of them. At least, not in Michigan. There are provisions for those whose income will not allow them to pay property taxes. You have to show your bank accounts and income to the board of review. When I was an assessor, many people showed up at the BOR stating they could not pay their taxes, but only a couple actually were able to show they didn't have the funds. Seems one shouldn't have to dip into their CD's, or sell that second home.


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## where I want to

Dear Imrose-

I feel your pain. I had a period of about four years just after I retired where I was increasingly unable to take care of my house. It was a challenge to amble out to the animals and get them fed- at one point with a cane attached to my belt because if I dropped it, I couldn't pick it up.
I was lucky in that a caring doctor considered my problem and found an answer for me. Now I feel better than I have in decades.
But it left me with the clear notion that I will be less and less able as time goes on. I do worry about it, as getting to town is even more expensive for me than for you- and I sometimes need those town services. 
I hope you can find some agreeable compromise to allow you to have some of what you have enjoyed all your lives and still be comfortable. You will be in my thoughts.


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## ChristieAcres

With the last few years of crop failures, droughts, and more to come? I foresee groceries costing a lot more, unfortunately. That has to be factored in. Can you now or will you be able to continue to grow, raise, and hunt for your food? Many can attest there is no way to truly know for sure. Life just happens...

It is doubtful all of us can be like "Larry the Retired Logger," who is actually turning 86, still splits his own wood, walks a few miles a day, works in his shop or on his property every day, and just two weeks ago...drove his big log skidder down to help us skid some Cedars out of our forest. Larry also spent a few hours cutting limbs off the 100ft+ Cedars DH felled. He has an amazing garden every single year. Larry lives in his two story home with his DS (Widow). They enjoy views of the Hood Canal and Olympic Mountains. He isn't worried about money due to being very frugal all his life, bought up a lot of real estate, sold it as he needed more money, and never has needed a mortgage. He built every home he has ever lived in as an adult, too.


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## Shrek

mekasmom said:


> Children in need of money...
> 
> .


Whats worse than adult children in need or asking for money is parents asking for it.

A friend worked almost 30 years for his father who sold out to him when he chose to retire.

The father and mother lived comfortably of what the son paid to buy out the business and the son continued working the family business until he turned 67 and gave it to his son as his father had given it to him.

His father provided for his mothers needs and reasonable retirement desires from their retirement investments until he passed away about 6 years ago.

In the years since his late 80s mother has blown through most of the investments her husband left her taking vacations and such and often asks her son and grandson to loan her money.

He said he doesn't mind helping her to meet critical expenses however "old lady cruises or slot machine casino packages" that often cost a couple thousand dollars aren't critical.

When he and his son turn her down since he is concerned with he and his wife's retirement expenses and his son is trying to support his own family and two employees, "Granny" ends up first throwing a jewish mother style guilt trip tantrum and then cold shouldering them all for sometimes a couple months at a time.

All he can figure is that she didn't take his father passing very well and he only hopes that she passes on before he does because he takes the most of his mothers tantrum flack and if he dies first his son will become her prime target.


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## sisterpine

For me the biggest expense is utilities in Tucson, AZ. Admittedly I have a cell phone, internet service, tv service, water, sewer, power and gas. That comes to almost 500.00 per month. My house payment PITI is only 312.00 so I am blessed. If I lived alone and did provide warmth and shelter for my brother and my daughter my utilities would be much less. Thankfully they have continued to chip in ever single time they earn a buck!


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## Nevada

Normally the single largest living expense for anyone is housing, and that's true regardless of retirement status. Speaking for myself, if I wasn't living mortgage-free I wouldn't have been able to retire when I did.


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## jwal10

Insurance could be the biggest for us but we keep it to the minimal. Everything is payed off and we don't have a lot. Taxes are the biggest unknown, who knows what the future holds....James


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## lmrose

Transportation, taxes, are two big problems for us as we age. We are also cut off from people unless they come to us as we can't drive.


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## Nevada

lmrose said:


> Transportation, taxes, are two big problems for us as we age. We are also cut off from people unless they come to us as we can't drive.


For transportation, I got a house just a few hundred feet from a major city bus line. The supermarket is on that line, the doctor office I selected, dentist, and even a Walgreens. On top of that, we have prescription and grocery delivery services in Las Vegas.

As for taxes, we used to get a break on property taxes in this state, giving us a rebate for half the tax bill, but the state ended that 2 years ago. The logic for the rebate was that seniors didn't normally make use of the public school system, which is supported by property tax. Here is the letter the state sent to Nevada seniors who applied for the rebate in 2011.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22059150/starr.pdf

OK, now I've done my part to fund the recession.


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## lmrose

where I want to said:


> Dear Imrose-
> 
> I feel your pain. I had a period of about four years just after I retired where I was increasingly unable to take care of my house. It was a challenge to amble out to the animals and get them fed- at one point with a cane attached to my belt because if I dropped it, I couldn't pick it up.
> I was lucky in that a caring doctor considered my problem and found an answer for me. Now I feel better than I have in decades.
> But it left me with the clear notion that I will be less and less able as time goes on. I do worry about it, as getting to town is even more expensive for me than for you- and I sometimes need those town services.
> I hope you can find some agreeable compromise to allow you to have some of what you have enjoyed all your lives and still be comfortable. You will be in my thoughts.


Thank you for your concern. My husband finds it so hard to stop doing the things he always did like going in the woods five miles away with the horse to cut winter wood or mowing and putting in hay. It is going to be hard for him to stop but his body is telling him it is time. He has an enlarged heart valve, problems with blood pressure, an injured knee and one kidney. Today he cut down a tree on the farm, cut it up and barely made it back to the house. His blood pressure kept dropping dangerously low, rising and falling again. It was two hours of rest before his heart settled.It scared me and him too. Thank you for praying for him.


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## lmrose

Nevada said:


> For transportation, I got a house just a few hundred feet from a major city bus line. The supermarket is on that line, the doctor office I selected, dentist, and even a Walgreens. On top of that, we have prescription and grocery delivery services in Las Vegas.
> 
> As for taxes, we used to get a break on property taxes in this state, giving us a rebate for half the tax bill, but the state ended that 2 years ago. The logic for the rebate was that seniors didn't normally make use of the public school system, which is supported by property tax. Here is the letter the state sent to Nevada seniors who applied for the rebate in 2011.
> 
> https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22059150/starr.pdf
> 
> OK, now I've done my part to fund the recession.


That is great you live in a area with good transportation for the public.
Where I live the only city is Halifax 180 miles away and it has quite a good bus transit system. Yarmouth is 10 miles from us to downtown. It has a population of about 8,000 people + or -. There is one town bus that only travels inside the town limits. It goes South town on the hour and North town on the half hour with no bus between 12 noon and 1pm. There is no public transportation out in the country. 
We thought we would like to move closer to town until I started looking and found prices are very high on real-estate close to town, lots are small and neighbors too close. So presently we need to re-evaluate our options.


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## where I want to

Imrose- please let us know what you figure out or what you don't. These are issues for lots of us. 
I do have a bit more choice than you, I think as I am only 7 miles from town and places in town would cost less than what I could get for my place. But I dread moving to a noisy town where people are living so close. I get a whole lot of pleasure from standing outside in the morning listening to the birds and little else between chores.


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## TheMartianChick

My mom and I had this conversation the other day. She was talking about how she knew that she and dad could retire at age 55. They used to travel 70 miles to work roundtrip. They would buy lunch at work a few times each week. Mom worked in an office so she had to have office attire, cosmetics and stockings. Mom calculated that those things would essentially disappear from the budget with retirement . And she was right!

However, she forgot that they'd be at home running the furnace 24 hours per day during the winter. There was no way for her to accurately gauge the current cost of heating and cooking fuel in 2013. She hadn't counted on the increase in toilet paper and paper towel use. They both had medical coverage through their former employer at no additional cost because they had accrued so much vacation time. They aren't on any maintenance medications, so there are no co-pays to worry about. If they weren't so healthy, then that would be a factor. One odd thing about my parents retirement income is that my mother is not eligible for Social Security. I've never really understood it fully and the term that she uses to explain it is an "offset", but as a State employee, she had to elect whether or not she would pay into SS as a part of her union contract. She opted not to because she planned to quit her job at some point and most of the family expenses were coming out of her paycheck already, but my dad ( also a State employee) opted in. He receives SS. Mom knew before retiring that she'd never receive an SS check and planned for it.


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## ET1 SS

TheMartianChick said:


> ... One odd thing about my parents retirement income is that my mother is not eligible for Social Security. I've never really understood it fully and the term that she uses to explain it is an "offset", but as a State employee, she had to elect whether or not she would pay into SS as a part of her union contract. She opted not to because she planned to quit her job at some point and most of the family expenses were coming out of her paycheck already, but my dad ( also a State employee) opted in. He receives SS. Mom knew before retiring that she'd never receive an SS check and planned for it.


Yes, SS is completely voluntary. Some people ask for a SS policy and pay into it; some people do not. Plus when it was setup many states and cities, plus some corporations at the time set themselves up to fully duplicate SS. By duplicating SS for their employees, those employees must 'opt' in or out.

When I was working, I worked with many people who did not pay into SS. Some of those people had simply never asked for a policy. Others, when they became educated about SS, decided that they wanted to 'opt' out from SS. One of my duties was helping them to file the paperwork to opt out.


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## arnie

my luck was to have worked for a union company my health insurance is only 30$ a month for life . what I did not anticipate was TAXES this is my biggest expence .taking early retirement i'm not old enough to qualify as a senior


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## Nevada

arnie said:


> my luck was to have worked for a union company my health insurance is only 30$ a month for life . what I did not anticipate was TAXES this is my biggest expence .taking early retirement i'm not old enough to qualify as a senior


Seniors get a tax break?


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## ET1 SS

arnie said:


> my luck was to have worked for a union company my health insurance is only 30$ a month for life . what I did not anticipate was TAXES this is my biggest expence .taking early retirement i'm not old enough to qualify as a senior


I am on pension. I pay the same income taxes today, as I would as a senior.


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## Nevada

Nevada said:


> Seniors get a tax break?


After thinking about it, it might seem like seniors are getting an income tax break because Social Security payments are not taxable. However, Social Security is an insurance benefit, and insurance benefits aren't taxable. But that's the same for any age. You don't pay income tax on insurance benefits if you wreck your car or your house burns down, so there's no reason why old age insurance benefits like SS should be taxable.


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## ET1 SS

Simply because your pension is 'taxable' does not mean that you pay taxes on it.

There remain deductions. Standard deduction, personal exemption, and an array of others. Like for medical expenses [anyone planning on being elderly with no medical expenses?].

My pension is fully 'taxable'. But there are no taxes taken out, and no taxes owed.

For a taxable pension to be taxed, you first need to exceed the standard deduction, plus the personal exemption, and all other deductions like medical expenses.


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## emdeengee

I think that it is very important to keep track of all the little increases in your expenses as well as being concerned about the big expenses. We are being nibbled to death by vicious puppies. 

Since January we have received increases per month for our telephone line of $1.04, $2.00 for garbage pickup, $28 for electricity (the company borrowed money to do infrastructure work from the insurance fund and was paying it back to their customers but that is over), $85 for property tax, $2.00 for internet, $3.00 for cable TV which will total $1452.48 per year. Add in the increases in food, gasoline and heating oil and I expect that life is going to cost us about $3000 extra this year.


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## RDuke

Hello all. First let me state that I am new on this forum. I have been lurking for a while but this is my first post. 
Being retired myself, for one year, I naturally gravitate toward this topic when I check in every day.
A lot of what I've read sounds very familiar, some not so much. Just like everyone else my expenses continue to rise and my income doesn't.
A quick background; I'm retired, as I said, but my wife continues to work and will do so for the next two years. We have tried to be diligent about savings but not having that great an income to begin with made it difficult to put a lot away. I was a firm believer in my 401K but that took a dump on 08 and I lost about 40-50% of what I had, as did my wife. Before my retirement was official I took out about half of my 401K to pay off our mortgage. 
Since then we have tried to save wherever we can. For example; we had DirectV for the last five years as well as a DVD subscription with Netflix. Two months ago we bought a Roku box and changed our Netflix to a streaming subscription. DirectV was $129 per month and Netflix was $16.95. The Roku box cost us $99 and the Netflix streaming is $7.99. We also added a Hulu Plus subscription at $7.99. Now we pay $16 per month as opposed to the prior $129 per month.
Next is to replace the Verizon phone line with Ooma. Verizon is $45 per month, Ooma is $145 one time and the only monthly charge is for taxes which in Md are $5.00per month.
The real problem here is that no matter how many corners I cut its impossible to get ahead because something else will go up in response. 
We haven't had the worries of medical insurance bills yet as we both are on my wife's plan at work. That will be the next hurdle ahead of us. Her insurance is not free, by any means, but it is workable for now. I wish she could retire today but we need that insurance until I can start Medicare at age 65 (one year to go).
I don't enjoy reading that a lot of us have difficulties with finances but I get a good feeling from the upbeat attitude that everyone takes.
Having reached a certain age one tends to take a more flexible attitude toward what happens to come your way. I am really looking forward to the next (unknown) number of years. But then again, check back with me in (unknown) months.


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## nomifyle

My biggest expense is gasoline. I live very rural and the nearest wal-mart is 30 miles in three different directions.

No mortgage or rent, to do that I'm willing to live in a camper in the woods. Its worth it, my little piece of heaven on earth.

If I remember correctly, after age 65 in Mississippi, there are no property taxes, but I don't live in MS. I have no property taxes because my state has homestead exemption.

As for health care, because I'm a Vietnam era veteran and have a modest income, so I've been able to get health care at the VA, 100%. So far so good with it, I have no chronic health conditions.

And since I'm a prepper, my larder is always well stocked, so food expenses are not troublesome. But I do have 3 dogs and they eat alot. I buy the best dog food I can afford to keep them healthy. Not much in vet bills. Thank God.

I have an emergency savings for repairs. So far so good on that too.

Thus far, I'm still able to have Directv, long distance on my land line phone and satellite internet.
Judy


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