<p>I understand that too…living like paupers.</p>
<p>I don’t see that…that much.</p>
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<p>It’s tough to know when your government and central bank are inflating like mad.</p>
<p>And when most of the other governments and central banks are doing the same thing.</p>
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<p>I think that investing skills are needed as much as a college degree today. Similar to the ability to drive a car.</p>
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<p>I could do that right now. Don’t know about inflation though.</p>
<p>Yeah…but BCEagle91… Those people relying on SS don’t have a nest egg.</p>
<p>Can you and your wife really live on 30,000 a year? I guess you can…but what a struggle…</p>
<p>I tried the retirement calcultor and am not sure I used it correctly. What would be a reasonable # to put in for the annual yield on balance? I put in a 4% inflation rate. Would a 6% yield on balance be too optimisitc?</p>
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<p>We could do it without a nest egg.</p>
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<p>Half my income would be a lot more than $30,000/year.</p>
<p>We’d probably move to Singapore if our income dropped that low and we didn’t have assets. No need for a vehicle, cheap food, cheap medical care and family support on my wife’s side.</p>
<p>My mother lives off SS, at least one pension and her investments. She has a house that’s probably worth about $750K, pays property taxes and maintenance. She also donates to charities - we’ve been trying to get her to cut back on some of those because some of them are scams. She gets an incredible number of phone calls from politicians looking for donations or letters and calls to some groups or organizations.</p>
<p>If she ran into financial difficulties, the rest of us would help her out - or at least three out of the four kids would. I have one sister and I don’t have a good handle on her financial situation. She lives in the Bay Area, makes a good salary but her husband doesn’t. She’s putting one through a private college and supporting another living on his own. She takes a fair number of plane trips so I think that she’s okay but maybe not thriving.</p>
<p>At any rate, that’s the told Chinese solution - have lots of kids to support you in your old age. The old one-child policy didn’t go over too well in China.</p>
<p>BCEagle91… I know you make more than 60,000 a year…</p>
<p>I was responding to this…</p>
<p>“55% of people 65 or older rely on Social Security for half or more of their income.”</p>
<p>I am guessing that SS comes to about 15,000 a year for most retirees right now…</p>
<p>Which led me to the comment on living on 30,000 a year.</p>
<p>Maybe somebody has more accurate figures on SS payments.</p>
<p>Your mom is doing well financially. She is in great shape.</p>
<p>Jym626… how conservative do you want to be?</p>
<p>6 percent after tax is probably a pretty big number…</p>
<p>I would take that and I am outta here. :)</p>
<p>I think 4 percent after tax is a litte more realistic with these interest rates…</p>
<p>$15K looks about right from what I’ve seen.</p>
<p>We would have to downsize considerably to live on $15K. We’ve both lived that kind of life in the past though so it wouldn’t be a shock.</p>
<p>Yeah…I don’t think we could live on 30,000. We would have to move.</p>
<p>I heard at the Masters…spectators could buy sandwiches for $2.50. I think the same sandwiches would run $5.00 to $7.50 here. I am not sure. I am getting ths second hand.
Maybe I would have to move to Georgia. 
(not going to happen).</p>
<p>A dozen cage-free eggs, extra large: $2.99. Loaf of whole wheat all natural bread, $3.00. Six sandwiches at $1 each not including a little oil and fuel costs with plenty of bread left over. I did some experiments with beans last summer - you can cook a lot of meals with beans for very, very cheap. Losing a lot of weight means that I can survive on about 2/3rds the calories that I used to eat. When you don’t have a lot of money, you look for better calories/dollar ratios on foods. You can also get pretty decent nutrition if you toss that into the mix. With our current lifestyle, we also factor in convenience and diversity.</p>
<p>With peanut butter - I think a jar is $3 (Teddie All natural) - you can make 12 sandwiches with a loaf of bread so you’re talking $0.50/sandwich and much better nutrition than cheap noodles. Trader Joes has a lot of decent food with decent flavor that’s cheap. Son has a pretty good handle on that sort of thing.</p>
<p>Doing those things would definitely cut my costs…</p>
<p>There is a Trader Joes near my place but I rarely go there…</p>
<p>I should check it out…</p>
<p>A loaf of whole wheat bread is about 4.50 at neighborhood stores… But there are sales that knock the prices down…and there is Costco.</p>
<p>I never thought that Trader Joes was that great, price wise…but people do love those stores…so maybe I am wrong.</p>
<p>Trader Joes uses an interesting approach - they charge low prices for staples and they have a lot of luxury items. Their motto is to save on your staples and splurge a little. It makes for an interesting clientele. </p>
<p>Whole Wheat Bread is $3.50 to $4.50 in my supermarket too. We buy the specials when they are discounted to $2.50 which is usually on the weekend. A loaf of natural, whole weat bread is normally $2.79 at Trader Joes.</p>
<p>Ok…I am going to walk over to Trader Joe’s.</p>
<p>Actually, Costco jacked up their price considerably, I only buy selected items that is cheaper after comparison. Some of the items are out of chart, organic eggs is one of them. Some of the items at the frozen section are very expensive, especially sea foods. Now-a-days, you have to shop around to get the best bargain.</p>
<p>Bananas, for example, they are cheaper in TJoes, Costco is not. Brussel Sprouts I get double miles in our local 99c store than Costco. Computers and electronics, costco is only good because you can return them in 90 days, but you pay for it.</p>
<p>Hmmmmmm…</p>
<p>I haven’t been to Costco’s in awhile…</p>
<p>I’m going to grow my own vegetables. I also have a lot of squirrels in the yard that I can pop off for dinner.</p>
<p>I get farm fresh eggs,literally still warm, 3 bucks, bring your own carton…right outside my fence…if you like eggs, there is no comparison, then fresh…over easy please. ;)</p>
<p>:)…</p>
<p>We shop at Walmart but we aren’t millionares. I wish!</p>
<p>I have shopped for the fam for years at Walfart(boys name for wallyworld) because they will meet all others advertised prices.</p>
<p>They won’t price match BOGOs or % offs but anything that has a specified price. They will do 3/10.00 but you have to help them out with the math!</p>
<p>Recently Target has also been price matching and as that the Super Target is across the street from the Walmart it is much easier to shop at both with everybody else’s ads.</p>
<p>As a single mom with 5 kiddos, and 3 being football players who just ate and ate and ate, the price matching really made and still does make a huge difference for us. </p>
<p>Both Walmart and Target mark down their meat as it gets close to expiration dates and at Target you can use the additional meat coupons from their website in addition to the reduced prices. And a Target you can use their store coupons along with the manufaturer coupons. Add that to the occasional Traget 70-75% off clearances and it will definately help out the grocery budget.</p>
<p>But sometimes it is cheaper to shop at the local grocery stores when they have triple coupons. Just have to pick and choose. Our corner CVS runs a special on milk, on and off weekly a gallon for less than $2.30.</p>
<p>Sam’s will allow returns for a year, walmart 90 days.</p>
<p>Sons and daughter who now live on their own love to shop at Trader Joes, says it is a huge treat! </p>
<p>As for living on $30,000 or less, yep that is us. Part of the reason we moved from CA to NC. That and NC in-state tuition x 5 kiddos.</p>
<p>Son’s med school tuition is $14,000 for the year (son has scholie to lower the $14K to $0) and no crazy fees like the UCs. His rent is $350 (has a roomie so rent is $700) and pays $45(total price no splitting) in utilities, includes washer and dryer in townhouse with 2 bedrooms/2 bath 1350 sq ft, pool and 24 hr gym. Free busing for all UNC students, all over chapel hill, raleigh and durham. One of the stops is Trader Joes and a Sam’s Club!</p>
<p>I don’t think we have alot of millionares shopping in our local Walmart, just a guess!!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>“As for living on $30,000 or less, yep that is us. Part of the reason we moved from CA to NC. That and NC in-state tuition x 5 kiddos.”</p>
<p>Wow…</p>