What's the average cost of your utility bills? Can you live on SS?
I am curious especially about gas/electric. Let me know if it's combined bill (gas/electric) or if you are dividing up the two. Would love to know water bill costs as well. Partner and I were discussing what it costs to maintain a paid-off home, given cost of insurance, utilities and repairs. And then got into a discussion of how much bills vary even in our own state.
Here in SF we have relatively mild weather year- round 50-70s and rare low and high of 40 to 100. We live in the upper small upper unit flat in a two-unit building. Gas/electric average 95.00 in summer and about 200.00 in winter (a short 3-4 months). Heat never set over 69 and no air conditioning. Our September and October temps are some of the best weather we get. Lots of sun and little fog.Monthly approximates look like:140.00 gas and electric40.00 garbage and recyclables140.00 water (our worst bill. We use shower water and laundry gray water to do garden.If one wished to add in phone costs and not do landline that's another 40.00 month.If one wished to add in health insurance supplemental--98.00 Kaiser.
Curious about what things look like across the country if you're willing to share, and even OUT of the country.
When you put in any living other costs-- insurance on homes/car, food, etc. it's hard to imagine ANYONE surviving on SS alone. My bro did it easily living in his little historic trailer park in Palm Springs and kept his nest egg safe altogether, but he was a penny pincher/coupon clipper, and a rare one indeed. That park was full of them, all ages, and all living the good life in a lovely community in long long trailers that were made in the 70s!
16 Comments
Popular Questions
- I'm afraid my sister is trying to steal all of my mom’s money by being on joint accounts with her. What can I do to protect my mom?
- What is the reasonable amount for a child to receive as payment for caring for their elderly parent?
- How to tell my sister that I should be paid or get more than 1/2 of the inheritance for taking care of mom?
Water bill is 90 every three months, we have are own septic.
But yes you pay a lot more going towards Albany for both, but I imagine it might work out cuz we pay more for groceries
Garbage is about 20 a month on average
Oil for heat and hot water, boiler system, that's are biggest expense. It's a lot lolol I'll have to ask hubby what we spend total yearly
4 room apartment my electric bill was 254. last month. That was just for lights and ac.
I also pay for gas for cooking
Heat and Water are included in rent
Hubby retired from a chemical mill, the reason I think the pension are so good is because most get cancer and don't need them. So far we got the lucky stick
we pay $300 electricity and gas, water etc. property taxes monthly about $300, car ins $120 per month.
Now we moved to condo over a month ago we will pay condo fee and only electricity, not sure how much yet. Condo fee 500, electricity based on previous usage $100.
Phones, cable $200 per month.
In Canada we are paying more for food.
For two of we spend weekly at least $300 per week.
Total per month
$1200 food
$500 utilities and cable, phones
$300 property tax
$150 insurance
$200 gas
$2450- basic expenses
Discretionally spending monthly,
Entertaining, eating out
Household expenses
Clothes, cosmetics, hairdressers, car maintenance
Total $1,000 per month or less
We figure when we go on vacation we splurge.
I know a few alcoholics, I can't believe how much they spend on alcohol and eating out. I've got better things to do with my money.
Water costs are shared. (Although our yard is mostly a low maintenance rock garden, there is a fair amount of "community" lawn which can use lots of water in the summer.) Our trash pickup/recycling is about $50 every 2 months. Comcast is another story--it's really pricey but there's not a lot of choice due to very little competition. I know there are lots of cut-the-cord options, but I haven't even begun to sort them out. Then, of course, there are insurance and personal property taxes. IMO, it would be very difficult to manage on the average S/S check alone, although some residents do. There are quite a few state, county and nonprofit programs that assist low-income people, which is a good thing.
We don't travel and very rarely eat out anymore either. It's gotten wildly expensive and there can be unexpected mobility, hearing and vision challenges for older folks. I've never been a great cook, so I do buy pre-prepared and deli food. I make a lot of salads, too.
I have one bill I do and that's my car payment, I went to get the bill and he paid it on me. I told him this all needs to change, if you drop dead tomorrow am lost.
I do know are bills and what's in are accounts, and he is very organized but I need to be more a part of the whole process.
By the way my daughter lives in Cali. near the shore. Her rental costs are enormous compared to Massachusetts. Probably double or more.
My costs in "Taxachuetts" are about 95 to 125 for electric per month. Heat seems to run about 2,500 per year (oil). I like a cool house in the winter. 65 to 68 degrees except during a Northeaster. My house insurance bill (small cape cod) just doubled for two reasons. I am about "a mile from the ocean, and we have more storms due to climate change". Now it is about 250 per month. Very few of the seniors in my area seem to be concerned about the sudden high cost of living. Many plan to age in place. I am part of the single household category, and I try to be thrifty. Although I am healthy, I continue to live in this area because of high quality senior center and easy access to the prestigious medical community in Boston and Brookline. ..about one hour drive during low traffic. Costs of handy man help is at least 75 per hour. Skilled labor like a plumber or electrician can be 250 to 300 an hr. Sometimes I mow my own lawn and if I have to pay it runs about 45 to 80 dollars for 45 min of work by a high school student! Cost of repairs by a contractor are very high and have to be scheduled far in advance. Legal costs in this area or Boston run from 300 -500 per hr. for items like wills, deeds, sale of house or estate attorneys. Property taxes are sky high. Seems like many towns are 110 percent of market value. I am not sure of foods costs because I stock up at the supermarket and then use local stores for
incidentals. Local landline plus internet is about 70. I cut my cable and pay separately for streaming ..about 8 to12.00 per month with multiple channels.
We are living off our combined SS and Dens pension. But then, we have a large cushion in our acct. But, we stay around the same amount monthly and wevhave been spending money to get the house upkeep done. I would have a hard time living off of just DHs SS if something happened to him. I only get a % of his pension and my SS drops. Again, for now I have cushions but you never know what the future will bring.
Thankfully my house is paid off, but if I had to look for a rental, it would take more than my whole social security check as rentals are ridiculously high.
I do grocery shopping on-line with curbside pickup. The store's website shows all the sales which makes it easier to do then roaming up and down the aisle inside the store. Plus, the website has coupons that if clicked, the software will deduct if you have that item on your list.
I am saving money by keep my old vehicle, it's 28 years old and still gets me from point A to point B. My State has a yearly vehicle tax based on value, so I haven't needed to pay that tax in years :) And the repairs/maintenance on my old Jeep is less than a $100 a year.
When we replaced our A/C a few years ago, we got an A/C that had a 16 SEER rating. Yes, it cost more but it lowered the monthly electric bills. My parents had an A/C that had an 11 SEER rating and that A/C was struggling to keep the house cool, if one considers 78 degrees cool. We kept our house at 71 degrees during the day, and 72 at night. The house cooled down quickly :)