It is believed that roughly 25% of those aged 65 years and above live with families that rely on social security. For this reason, retirees who earn less than $1500 in social security must operate a very tight budget in order to meet up with their financial responsibilities. The following are some of the measures you can put in place in order to stretch your social security and meet your financial obligations;
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Try to delay taking your social security
Though you should start collecting your social security at the age of 62, your monthly social security benefits will get higher if you can just wait for a little till your retirement age to start collecting the money. If for instance, you start collecting your social security at 62 when your retirement age is 67, your social security benefits will be reduced by 30%. Learn more about this from Navigation Wealth Management experts.
Consider moving to an area with lower costs of living
You can maximize your social security benefits when you reduce the costs of your living. Do not hesitate to move to a city or town with lower costs of living when you retire.
Try and pay off your debts before retiring
Credit card bills and mortgages are some of the biggest debts that can deplete your social security funds. Try as much as possible to repay them before you retire.
Consider moving to a more tax-friendly state
Many states, including the Washington DC, do not tax social security benefits. Living in states that do not tax social security will help you stretch your benefit further to cover your daily expenses.
Join discount membership programs
There are some fantastic discount membership programs you should consider joining if you want to get more from your social security. The AARP membership, for instance, will provide you with discounts or savings on your health expenses, entertainment, shopping, and restaurant meals. There are some other community memberships you can find that provide discounts for seniors.
Request from senior discounts when you make travel bookings
As a senior citizen on social security, you will have more time to travel but flights and hotels can be incredibly expensive. You can save more money off your social security by simply taking advantage of discounts on airlines such as Southwest Airlines, and American airlines. There are several hotel chains around the world that also offer discounts to senior citizens worldwide.
Make sure you don’t overpay for prescriptions
The costs of medications can quickly add up and you should consider choosing the generic payment options if possible if you want to save money on such medications. You may want to join a prescription membership program to receive rewards such as discounts.
Volunteer or get a senior job
If you do not have a health challenge that will reduce your mobility, it will be ideal to become a volunteer or get a non-physically demanding job. Volunteering is a good way to spend your free time, even if you don’t get financial rewards for such.
Avoid adding new debts
If you cannot pay off all debt before you retire, then you should avoid adding new debt, if you want to maximize your social security benefits. You should consider steering clear of whatever that causes impulse buying and practice self-control so that you can stick to your budget. It is disheartening to know that many people are still entangled in debts even after retirement, this eventually makes it almost impossible to save money off their social security.
Downsize to a smaller home
One of the best ways to save money while living on social security is to sell your home and move into a smaller one. Fortunately, home values increase over time and you should take this opportunity to sell that family home and move into a smaller home that will cost much less to maintain. Moving into a smaller home does not mean you have to give up on your comfort, you just want to give up the unnecessary free spaces and reduce the costs of maintaining such large homes. If you don’t want to move out of your large home, you may want to consider renting out a room or apartment from the home, to save more on your social security. Having a roommate will help you save costs of utilities, including electricity, water, and cable.
Consider online income opportunities
If you have not considered online money-making opportunities before, this could be the ideal time to do so. Online income opportunities such as freelance writing, data entry, and survey participation can give you a few hundreds of dollars to augment your social security.
Make use of restaurants that offer discounts to seniors
It is okay to eat out at restaurants once in a while, even though you want to be frugal with your living expenses when you are on social security. There are numerous restaurant chains that offer up to 25% for seniors, on all types of foods and drinks. There are some restaurants that offer free meals to seniors on a particular day of the week or month.
Make use of free entertainment advantages
You don’t have to spend part of your social security to have fun and be entertained. There are museums and movie places where seniors can enter for free at a certain time of the day. Your local theater or coffee shop may organize open mic shows that you can attend for free. Book readings, free outdoor activities and free lectures at local colleges, are some of the free entertainment and educational opportunities you should take advantage of.
Conclusion
Living a frugal lifestyle perhaps is the most important skill you should embrace when living on social security. Cutting costs can be very inconvenient for many, but the rewards can be very enticing. You may want to take advantage of free evening schools for seniors in local colleges and universities where you can learn a new skill you can apply outside of the school to make extra income and live comfortably with your social security.
