Average Spending in Retirement

[NW-Bound]

...we can spend $20.60 for 30 minutes...

Okay. $20.60 for 30 min is $41.20 for 1 hour, and $988.80 for 1 day.

That's $360,912 a year, and a bit more on leap years. You are catching up with Danmar.

 

[Nemo2]

Okay. $20.60 for 30 min is $41.20 for 1 hour, and $988.80 for 1 day.

That's $360,912 a year, and a bit more on leap years. You are catching up with Danmar.

Yabbut...after the first 30 minutes we're broke.

 

[Alex The Great]

Extremely high cost of living area (SF Bay), not retired yet:
RE tax: $997
Food: $491
Transportation: $157
Utilities: $131
Insurance (except health): $281
Health & dental insurance, my part: $302 + $4
Misc. (vacation, clothes, etc): $520
Total: $2,883

 

[NW-Bound]

Yabbut...after the first 30 minutes we're broke.

Then, you should change your spending habit. Did you see my post on the $1 IKEA breakfast?

That $20.60 money should last you 18 days (there's tax), assuming you can survive on just that 500-calorie meal each day.

Oops, make that 9 days, as I am sure you want to include the memsahib.

 

[CardsFan]

Average monthly total expenses, $5000. Can't seem to get below that. I count pennies going out weekly and charge almost everything on one credit card which organized our expenses nicely for us. I just feel like I'm missing out on something big about spending less.

2 dogs at a private country farm is $30/night for both dogs. We spent $690 to board them when we went out west.

Your monthly expenses see right in line with many here, us included. $30 bucks a night for two big dogs is a BARGAIN!. We pay $28/day for one medium size dog. We just came back from 18 nights away. Over $500 for the boarding, but aside from the money, that is about as long as we want to leave her.

Like you, we are lucky to have relatives that have a get-away in nice a place (Lake Tahoe). We get family time and a vacation at the same time.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Then, you should change your spending habit. Did you see my post on the $1 IKEA breakfast?

That $20.60 money should last you 18 days (there's tax), assuming you can survive on just that 500-calorie meal each day.

Oops, make that 9 days, as I am sure you want to include the memsahib.

You could bump up the calories a bit with lots of sugars in that free coffee.

 

[NW-Bound]

Now, you are talkin'.

My point is that people can survive a lot better than they think. What is this "I cannot live on so little"?

If you do not have to tighten belt, then don't. But when they have to, most people are more resourceful than they imagine they are.

 

[Nemo2]

Then, you should change your spending habit. Did you see my post on the $1 IKEA breakfast?

That $20.60 money should last you 18 days (there's tax), assuming you can survive on just that 500-calorie meal each day.

Oops, make that 9 days, as I am sure you want to include the memsahib.

Problem is, the nearest IKEAs are either in Toronto or Ottawa, both a fair distance away, and we'd likely burn more than the calories provided, by walking to either one and back.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Now, you are talkin'.

My point is that people can survive a lot better than they think. What is this "I cannot live on so little"?

If you do not have to tighten belt, then don't. But when they have to, most people are more resourceful than they imagine they are.

There's is a difference between "survival" and "living".

I challenge you to live on $2500/month for two people in this part of the country with a paid off house when your real estate taxes, condo fees and health care costs approximately equal this amount.

 

[wmc1000]

Just went back over our numbers. Current burn rate without travel is $2200 mo. After medicare kicks in for both of us over the next 12 months with supplement coverage the burn rate will be $2750 mo. For budgeting purposes we use $5000 mo.

 

[NW-Bound]

There's is a difference between "survival" and "living".

I challenge you to live on $2500/month for two people in this part of the country with a paid off house when your real estate taxes, condo fees and health care costs approximately equal this amount.

Yes, healthcare cost is a problem, and as I said in an earlier post, it would not be possible to live on $2.5K/month or $30K/yr unless one is on Medicare, or get ACA subsidy. But the rest of the expenses, if I were in a high COL and faced financial hardship, I would look to move to where it was cheaper (and probably pocket some good money from selling the house).

In the same manner, our friend Nemo would have to relocate to Toronto or Ottawa if the $1 IKEA breakfast were important to him. In the other thread, I mentioned that if I were reduced to living in my 25' motorhome, I would park it at a Walmart that's only 1 mile from that IKEA. When there's a will, there's a way.

 

[Rianne]

I thought the OP came off obnoxious. 2nd post, and it's "I don't believe you. Prove it by showing me your spreadsheets." Which is why I responded the way I did: "I ain't showin' you sh*t."

Wow, I guess the discussion about money is off the table here at FIRE. What's the point of signing on?

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Wow, I guess the discussion about money is off the table here at FIRE. What's the point of signing on?

As you might already know, I have strong opinions about things. I also like to think I have a soft heart deep down. I have to tell you, I thought you were some sort of reporter doing a story, or a college/graduate student doing research. Ill tell you why, we had just had a robot of some sort start a few threads asking questions, and we were all on heightened alert. You can now tell most, if not all of us now know your a real person, with similar interests as us..

 

[Rianne]

Sent you a thanks, Blue Collar Guy. I just wanted to rip open about the money discussion because my family and friends...for the most part are anal about talking about it. I always think, what is the big secret? I was thrilled to find a place I could ask questions and share my situation. I swear, nobody wants to talk about money in my social, family circles.

So what, we saved like crazy for 30 years and now have the opportunity to relax. Now I'd like to get creative and figure out cool ways to save and have a great time, right?

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Sent you a thanks, Blue Collar Guy. I just wanted to rip open about the money discussion because my family and friends...for the most part are anal about talking about it. I always think, what is the big secret? I was thrilled to find a place I could ask questions and share my situation. I swear, nobody wants to talk about money in my social, family circles.

So what, we saved like crazy for 30 years and now have the opportunity to relax. Now I'd like to get creative and figure out cool ways to save and have a great time, right?

I agree, and your welcome

 

[RobbieB]

I could live on 30K / year buying my own non subsidized heath insurance, living in my paid off house right here in the central valley of CA, but that would not be much fun.

And I strive to have as much fun as possible -

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I could live on 30K / year buying my own non subsidized heath insurance, living in my paid off house right here in the central valley of CA, but that would not be much fun.

And I strive to have as much fun as possible -

Most of your posts are fun for me to read.

 

[Fermion]

There's is a difference between "survival" and "living".

True. If you work long enough that you can live well and not just survive you might find that all you have left is survival in a LTC facility.

 

[splitwdw]

Wow, I guess the discussion about money is off the table here at FIRE. What's the point of signing on?

You haven't given us any details of your monthly expenses.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Yes, healthcare cost is a problem, and as I said in an earlier post, it would not be possible to live on $2.5K/month or $30K/yr unless one is on Medicare, or get ACA subsidy. But the rest of the expenses, if I were in a high COL and faced financial hardship, I would look to move to where it was cheaper (and probably pocket some good money from selling the house).

Medicare will cost you 10K/year for 2 people (DW pays $134 for part B, $180 for a medigap supplement, $32 for part D prescription and around $50 drug co pay). When you add dental cost it could run you about 15K/year (for the last three years since I retired we've averaged 8K/year in dental work).

 

[Shanky]

For those under 65, & not eligible for ACA subsidies HC total cost per year can be pretty high even without any chronic conditions. $13K-$18K per year for us. $13K would be with no medical expenses at all, just high deductible insurance for 2 people, I am amazed when I see such low medical spending amounts and wonder if we are missing something.

 

[Corporateburnout]

True. If you work long enough that you can live well and not just survive you might find that all you have left is survival in a LTC facility.

+1.

That's why we've been enjoying our retirement and don't worry so much about finding ways to save money. We've worked long and hard and we deserve to enjoy it while we can before we end up drooling in front of a TV in an LTC facility.

 

[NW-Bound]

My mother is doing fine living on between $25K to $30K. I don't know the exact number anymore as my brother has taken over the task of doing her taxes ever since I had a serious health problem (I am over it now). So, I don't know the details but she's not complaining about financial matters. Granted, a woman in her 80's is not going on travel like I or many posters here do, but neither do most Americans.

Beyond basic necessities, there's a lot of stuff that we can discuss all day on whether that is necessary for "living". For example, the other day we had fun with a thread on Jimmy Choo shoes. I am sure some people will argue that expensive shoes add to their enjoyment of life, and I will not disagree.

And no matter how much posters here spend on travel, a billionaire, if he stumbles across this forum, will think that how miserable it would be for him to have to traipse through the airport, then wait to be called for 1st class boarding, then have to wait for his luggage, compared to having his own jet to whisk him anywhere around the world on command.

It's all relative. There's really no absolute.

 

[RobbieB]

I always try to find ways to blow more dough.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I always try to find ways to blow more dough.