That's nice to know you are in a mobile. Have you had a lot of repairs? I seemed to put a lot into that house I owned for 7 1/2 years only to be unhappy there and leave everything. Nothing was for silly updates either. It was windows, new heat and air. Need things. House painted.
I would think it would be pretty surprising how many people retiring today have to retire pretty much only on SS. It sure would be a tough way to live!
There seems to be a lot of people living on an extremely low income...ss or disability benefits alone.... must be terrifying..what happens when these people get ill with arthritis, or dementia... ?
I'm glad that I'm not fully retired but I could survive on my Social Security. I wouldn't be able to travel as we do now, or buy just whatever I want to, but my house and land are paid for, taxes aren't all that high, and seniors get a discount on property taxes. Winters would be tough, especially if oil prices go back up, but there are programs available for free oil that we have not been availing ourselves of. If I had a mortgage or if I were renting, it would be difficult.
The USA is not the only country with homeless people...what do they do in London if the homeless get dementia or arthritis? Probably the same here. We have shelters, just some people won't go them. They're also eligible for Medicaid but most don't seek help. You can't force them.. I found this on homelessness in London... https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jan/06/what-learned-sleeping-rough-london
I wasn't inferring that the USA was the only place with homeless people...there are homeless people world wide, but I believed that the Op is in the USA so it's more relevant to point out that there are a rising number of people who have become homeless who have worked all their lives probably...and she's not to feel so alone in her concern for her future and realise that she has support out there... Giving links to London's homeless isn't very helpful to her at all is it?
I don't think Kitty needs to live in her car, which isn't legal everywhere, there are Laws as to where it can be parked and for how long, etc Worrying about making ends meet when you retire does not mean you'll be living in your car or tent city! Kitty also said she wants a safe place...a car is a very unsafe place to live...people have been killed and raped. While I was looking at homelessness, I saw that many don't collect their ss or disability checks. Even if you're homeless you can still get it....usually. https://la.curbed.com/2017/2/6/1452...eep-overnight-illegal-los-angeles-enforcement
It's really shocking how many people don't want help and become homeless. Either families won't offer help or these people will turn down their help. When I was homeless, living out of a small truck in a church parking lot (the Pastor allowed some homeless to be in), I was unemployed. I had enough money for some gas for the truck and to rent a P.O. Box at a Post Office down the street from the church. My unemployment check went there. I ended getting enough money for a weekly motel room and got another job. I survived!
Very many turn down help and don't even bother collecting money they should be getting. I read they can even have it sent to a friend's address or some other accommodation.
I was raised in and out of foster home, and that can be a form of homelessness as well. Many times you never knew where you would be sleeping from night to night, and you might not even know the people's name that you were with. This was the way I grew up until I was married at the age of 13. So to say I became a bit obsessed with my future security is an understatement. The first time I heard that a person could set up a retirement fund, I was in. Then I heard about those poor people that got swindled out of their retirement funds, and that frightened me to the point that I started researching the different ways to build retirement funds. Now if you have plenty of money, it's not a big deal to just set aside monies and just let it grow over fourty or so years, or even speculate in the stock market. But, most of us aren't in that league. I play cards, and dominos very well, but I've never been a gambler. Before I became an accountant, the idea of 401K's was over my head, but I did understand how payroll taxes worked. So I convinced my husband to always file single and 0 dependents until the end of the year when he was able to filed married and seven or more dependents. He liked the large pay outs. But I could never convince him to pay in more than what was required. I on the other hand, filed single and 0 dependents, but I doubled the required dollar amount, and that has worked out well for me. I get almost twice the amount my husband received from SS, and I have a pension from the Houston Municipality. I also bought stock in the gas and electric utility company's. (I learned that from playing Monopoly.) I pretty much stuck with what I thought was safe. Now all those that said I was depriving myself and my family of much needed funds are wondering why I get so much in SS each month. Now I'm nowhere near rich, but I don't need to worry either, unless the ever present possibility of a calamity comes my way.
@Cody Fousnaugh And I appreciate being told to my face if I have offended a forum member,. instead of that member whimpering to the Admin in a PM, behind my back. It worked like that in that other senior forum. Of course, I don't know for a fact that you.......... OTOH, one liked it. So, to you, I apologize for offending. I try to be respectful of others' feelings, and am, if I know them in advance. Frank
Thanks, Frank! BTW, one liked your reply, not necessarily the word used in it. Anyway, thanks for the apology.
Even between the 2 of us , we will not have enough to retire on for long. Got started late on life so not much income here for future. But ....always said I would grow to be a bag lady