Off topic posts split from "How do u live on $700/month, truly?"

[RearViewMirror]

Freedom is priceless...peace.

I agree. But it sure does cost a lot lol

 

[bullfrog]

What many people are not understanding when they read the title in my opinion is there are people that “want” to simplify their lives and limit possessions enough so that they have freedom to travel, to pick up and leave anytime to anywhere on the smallest budget possible. There are those that are using social services to try to get to a point they can survive on $700 as well. They want to know if it is possible on $700 a month. It depends on each individual’s situation really. There are many variables like health insurance, and whether or not to invest in real estate as a home base or use it as an investment. The resources you have to begin with and how you use them make a big difference. Thank you to all that are sharing their experiences as it brings to light just how difficult it is whether you start trying to live on $700 a month with lots of resources or none. This lifestyle can be very expensive for those with the resources but it can also be uplifting for those without them. Everyone benefits from discussions like these. Thanks again! One personal note, seasonal work doing things we enjoy doing in places we enjoy being with people we enjoy being with has been key in making this lifestyle work for us not only through the experiences but also financially.

 

[rruff]

I agree. But it sure does cost a lot lol

Not really. There is a leisure class at both ends of the socioeconomic spectrum, though it's rare for anyone to find freedom and peace. No matter how much security we have, it's never enough... of course we will die anyway! Is the goal of life to forestall that inevitable end as long as possible? To constantly worry and obsess over things that might happen?

 

[Carla618]

Working at minimum wage all your life means not much was paid in, so your payments will be small. If you made $100,000 or more a year every year you worked and paid into SSI, your payments will be much larger. This is because SSI is Not charity or assistance for low income people. So, SSI is not for people who didn't pay enough into the fund while working. A person who didn't pay enough in will need to find some government assistance program.

These social security posts should be in a dedicated thread.

More than one employee at the local social security office explained the difference between disability checks and SSI checks (why I would be on SSI versus disability). They said it was because I did not pay enough into the system. (I think I was approved for disability at 60 or 61).

At the social security 800 number (when I turned 62) the woman told me I will partially be on regular Social Security, but part of my benefits will still come from SSI. As a result, I get two checks monthly. They add up to the same amount that I would get if I received just one check from SSI.

I'm merely repeating what I was told. Could be inaccurate info, for all I know.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I wouldn't say it's a human right, but the cost of it is insane. The more expensive it gets, the less people can afford it.

I remember back in "the good old days", insurance hardly existed, and healthcare was cheap. Even poor people could afford it. Real per capita healthcare costs have gone up over 800% since 1960, while wages have barely risen.

If healthcare is a basic human right that everyone is entitled to, then slavery is legal. You'd be forcing someone to labor for you without compensation. That's the very definition of slavery.

 

[bullfrog]

The big problem is healthcare has been turned into a money making monopoly by insurance and drug companies to the detriment of those that need it and those that provide it. It is no longer regulated by competition nor equally available to all that need it. Civilizations of days gone past recognized this and made providers swear an oath to provide life saving care when needed. Guess people today aren’t as civilized as they used to be! Lol!!!

 

[Carla618]

If healthcare is a basic human right that everyone is entitled to, then slavery is legal. You'd be forcing someone to labor for you without compensation. That's the very definition of slavery.

We all "labor" for things we don't use. It is not slavery.

 

[RoamerRV428]

Then there are people like us that it becomes a balancing act on how to make it work "for us". I don't take for granted the position we are in at the moment. We are lucky that (so far) we haven't had any major health issues. But that will change one day. I understand that we are living outside the lines of what is considered normal for any person our age. But I'm not one to live in between the lines. One day though... all of this will change. We don't live forever nor are we guaranteed tomorrow.

yea I so get your post. we right now are in a big balancing act of how finances are being used and moved thru accts just like you. hubby works part time right now before we full retire and hit the road and it will be sooner than later now, just gotta get my 1 kid into college and that handled, ugh lol, and I keep telling him to NOT work so much cause I can't have xyz income and have to keep everything 'very in line' on how the money hits those tax papers.

worse is truly our money is not making great money at all like you it is more of a 'conservative' game vs. an aggressive interest game we played when younger with our money. we did very well but at this point, I can't gamble aggressive on it to make more cause if I lose it I am screwed, too old to make more now

I think some have more it is still a fine line of having being wiped out or ? in the end. Happens to many. Like ya said play the game best ya can, make sure not all money is only going out, some has to be made and walk the line like we all have to do.

 

[RearViewMirror]

If healthcare is a basic human right that everyone is entitled to, then slavery is legal. You'd be forcing someone to labor for you without compensation. That's the very definition of slavery.

Well... You took that to the extreme didn't you? Slavery? Really?

Here's the deal... There is no magic bullet that will fix what is now almost a century old problem. And NO ONE is arguing that a Dr. shouldn't get paid for their time, expertise, or whatever they specialize in. In fact, they should be paid very well.

Yes... I "personally" think that quality healthcare is a basic human right. The issue becomes how do we pay for it? And for that I don't have an answer. Insurance companies have spent decades lobbying Congress and what we have is what we have right now.

I mentioned the chargemaster for the hospitals in a previous post. Each and every hospital has a chargemaster. And between those hospitals? Those charges could vary wildly. God forbid you have to go out of network. You will be stuck with that entire bill. And if you can't pay that bill? They can garnish your wages until that bill is paid. Which means that some are never able to pay that bill depending on what service was provided. To be clear... I am not for "socialized" healthcare (even though we have forms of that built into our system already).

But to give you an example of what and why hospitals charge what they do? It all has to do with insurance. I mentioned that my wife was over the billing dept. for the largest hospital in the state. Insurance companies send people that are insured with their company to specific hospitals. primary care physicians, specialist, etc... with the expectation that they will get a certain amount of money for sending those covered patients to their specific in network facilities. Those facilities in return pay the insurance companies a set amount for patients being sent to them. So to make up the revenue associated with those cost? The chargemaster comes into play. There is a reason that an IV bag that cost literally $1 is charged at almost $140, Tylenol is charged at $37 a pill, etc... It has nothing to do with the hospital. It all has to do with the insurance companies. And if you are truly in a life or death situation? You don't have the option of what hospital they transport you to. So we are in a no win situation. That goes for all of us. Plain and simple.

I'll give you an analogy... I worked for the FD for 28 years. The FD is paid for by your taxes. What if we showed up to fire only to find out that the family that lives in that structure didn't pay their real estate tax, personal property tax, etc... And since they didn't pay those taxes? We don't put the fire out. Or... they have the option of us putting the fire out but we will charge an exorbitant amount of money to do so? Would you stand for that? In a life or death situation, honestly, would you stand for that??? Same thing applies to healthcare.

yea I so get your post. we right now are in a big balancing act of how finances are being used and moved thru accts just like you. hubby works part time right now before we full retire and hit the road and it will be sooner than later now, just gotta get my 1 kid into college and that handled, ugh lol, and I keep telling him to NOT work so much cause I can't have xyz income and have to keep everything 'very in line' on how the money hits those tax papers.

worse is truly our money is not making great money at all like you it is more of a 'conservative' game vs. an aggressive interest game we played when younger with our money. we did very well but at this point, I can't gamble aggressive on it to make more cause if I lose it I am screwed, too old to make more now

I think some have more it is still a fine line of having being wiped out or ? in the end. Happens to many. Like ya said play the game best ya can, make sure not all money is only going out, some has to be made and walk the line like we all have to do.

I agree with everything you say. The only money we can "earn" has to be under the table and that isn't right. We have, in the past, traded for working on campsites just for the free camp. But that can't be counted as income.

There is a reason that the ultra wealthy are able to take advantage of special tax advantages "we" are not able to access. We fall in the middle. We make enough to live comfortably but not enough to take advantage of what is afforded those with much more money. That said... I'm still not complaining as we are still able to do what we want to do when we want to do it (within reason). But I have a spreadsheet of everything that is being brought in and everything that is going out. Turns out... We are actually making money just by traveling and living in the van. But that could change at any point. All it will take is one emergency and we could be screwed for the rest of our life.

Like you, we are putting our 17 year old daughter into college and that is just another thing that we have to take into account. Luckily, she has a full ride. But she will be in college for 8 years. And how long that full ride will be in effect remains to be seen.

 

[RoamerRV428]

Like you, we are putting our 17 year old daughter into college and that is just another thing that we have to take into account. Luckily, she has a full ride. But she will be in college for 8 years. And how long that full ride will be in effect remains to be seen.

wow mine is 17 also and doesn't have full ride but only 4 yrs but we got some financial aid but I also socked alot away for her yrs but key is out of that college money I wanna keep as much in our hands in the bitter end that we can HAHA Super happy your DD got a full ride for her career to come!! Congrats on that for sure!!

I agree with ya. 'we those who fall' into that category are in a pickle kinda in that we have some but we don't have loads but we also are the biggest taxed segment and yet we do mostly take 'less' from govt before but lately, I see a tide turning for sure. 'those of us there' and can walk in that financial area are now taking advantage of everything the govt will give us and it is kinda nice but in the end the unbalance of it all still is keeping everything in govt on shakey ground etc but hey, I know me and you and others ain't 'gonna fix it all overnight' at all so....

best I can do now, when I finally 'wised up' and decided I have to play the game or I am gonna lose now.....I am all in playing the game and by george, I am actually winning it at this point it is all I can do ya know. Everyone walks a balance of what is 'overall right' and sheer azz survival of what we did earn and were taxed heavily I thought on the darn money we made....anyway... so at some point, when it flips it flips to survive now and take what I can thru all legal points and we are doing just that.

With inflation and more the way it is going, our 'wonderful what woulda been 'decent SS to rely on' is now more like a pizz in the bucket for what we will need for decent survival coming at us older we get.

I think alot of us just hitting into retirement or near are finding, wow, ALL that money 'they' told us to have, or near it, sure as heck is not gonna travel far from what has just happened over the last 2 yrs and more yrs to come with prices skyrocketing. I thought me and hubby had it 'in the bag' but darn ya know LOL I got shocked on it all and am learning that playing the game is the best way forward.

luckily too we are frugal types and live more simple cause we want so that always helps alot of us too

at some point I flipped to I am keeping every dime in MY wallet and finding every free dime out there I can. Getting older now too is scary for so many of us as we all know. Going into old age protection mode is kinda where we are at.

Funny but I hit a grocery and at checkout when I was like 57 or so the check out lady said, senior discount day. Cool. I said what age and she said 60 and I was like.....wild, give it to me. I know I saved but darn a 'small hit to the vanity' of it all but hey I saved regardless HAHA any little dime in my wallet helps me move forward I guess LOL

 

[bullfrog !]

Everyone should get free health care in the United States, after all it would help so many and solve so many problems, it is just crazy we don’t in my opinion.

 

[rruff]

Things have a lifespan. How long do they last and what will they cost to replace? The vehicle is the big one, but all the other gadgets will need replacing too... like solar batteries, charge controllers, inverters, panels, etc. Phone. Computer. Refrigerator. Things like that. If your vehicle needs an engine or transmission overhaul it can be a few $1000 easy. Or maybe it's so old everything needs fixing and you buy a new one. What happened last year is not a reliable long term gauge. I have 13 years of continuous boondocking experience (awhile ago), and I think I was very lucky. I had a stash of money so I could have replaced the truck or fixed anything that needed it, but it was a trooper and kept on going. At the end it was worth ~$0 though (I gave it away), vs about $5k in the beginning (1990 $), and a similar viable replacement 13 years later would have been ~$10k.

Just saying, you need to think long term and have a buffer.

If you are below the poverty line, you can get generous foodstamps. You don't need dependents. Free Medicaid too in states that have expanded it via Obamacare (not Medicare!). Medicaid has no copays or deductibles as I understand it. It's like the healthcare in every other developed country... you just go and they take care of you. Pretty sure everything is free, including meds. This is what I've heard from NM where I live. When you turn 65 you have a different situation, and may need to go on Medicare even if you are poor. A buddy in OR is 69, and it's all free for him. He gets SS (~$900/mo now), foodstamps (more than he can eat), and totally free HC. It probably varies by state.

I'm not poor and not on Medicare, and even I've gotten most of my healthcare subsidized the past 2 years. Biden did this as part of the Covid relief. Previously I paid >$800/mo premiums for really crappy insurance coverage... yes, that was my actual payment! You said your meds are $4k/mo but how much do you actually pay? There is no place in the country at any income level where you should have to pay more than $8k/yr for HC (not including premiums), that's the Obamacare limit.

 

[bullfrog !]

States govern your health insurance and rules. I know in Kentucky my mom was required to have less than $2,200 in assets to qualify for Medicaid. I would research carefully and choose a state that worked best for your particular situation to gain residency, after all we are nomads.

 

[rruff]

States govern your health insurance and rules. I know in Kentucky my mom was required to have less than $2,200 in assets to qualify for Medicaid. I would research carefully and choose a state that worked best for your particular situation to gain residency, after all we are nomads.

What assets exactly? Surely she can own a home and car... or not? I don't think they check any assets in OR or NM, just income.

This doesn't have all the gory details, but quite a bit is there: https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-...medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/

 

[rruff]

Welfare by state:
https://www.statsamerica.org/sip/rank_list.aspx?rank_label=censgovtre_exp_1_c&item_in=040
Food stamps:
https://www.investopedia.com/snap-benefits-by-state-5203591
"Assets: Households without an older member (age 60 or older) or someone with a disability must own assets worth $2,500 or less. Those who do have such a member must have $3,750 or less in assets. In the context of SNAP, only resources that could be available to the household to purchase food are considered assets. Individual state governments may "relax" these asset limits if they so choose."

 

[rruff]

Looks like there was a change for the better in KY at the end of 2019: https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-...medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/

Kentucky

On December 16, 2019, newly elected Democratic Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order rescinding the Kentucky HEALTH waiver that had been set aside by the court in March 2019. The waiver had included a number of provisions including a work requirement, monthly premiums up to 4% of income, and coverage lockouts for failure to timely renew eligibility or timely report a change in circumstances. Kentucky’s expansion program was originally implemented and continues to operate under state plan amendment (SPA) authority.

 

[WanderingRose]

For those not eligible for Medicaid in their state and struggling with prescription costs, talk with your pharmacist about pharmaceutical companies with grant programs for low income users.

There are forms to fill out, but help is there.

 

[Carla618]

Things have a lifespan. How long do they last and what will they cost to replace? The vehicle is the big one, but all the other gadgets will need replacing too... like solar batteries, charge controllers, inverters, panels, etc. Phone. Computer. Refrigerator. Things like that. If your vehicle needs an engine or transmission overhaul it can be a ...

I see. She didn't say how much she has saved (or I missed it). She did mention that she no longer has a refrigerator so now ice is in her budget.

Regarding Medicaid, I pay nothing for my meds. I guess because I am on disability.

I said we get nothing in food stamps without kids, because the amount is so small, it may as well be nothing. Last time I received food stamps with no kids in the house the amount was about $16 a month. But I just remembered that was because I was receiving child support for my youngest kid. When she left, it went up to $70 a month. Not enough to live on, but it helps.

 

[Carla618]

Welfare by state:
https://www.statsamerica.org/sip/rank_list.aspx?rank_label=censgovtre_exp_1_c&item_in=040
Food stamps:
https://www.investopedia.com/snap-benefits-by-state-5203591
"Assets: Households without an older member (age 60 or older) or someone with a disability must own assets worth $2,500 or less. Those who do have such a member must have $3,750 or less in assets. In the context of SNAP, only resources that could be available to the household to purchase food are considered assets. Individual state governments may "relax" these asset limits if they so choose."

Illinois must have opted to relax those rules. We can't have more than $2,500 (about), but we can own a vehicle and a home. IIRC, we can't own a RV.

 

[A Wing and a Prayer]

Everyone should get free health care in the United States, after all it would help so many and solve so many problems, it is just crazy we don’t in my opinion.

Who would pay for it?