Retired Boomer gets $1,662 in Social Security, moved in with roommates

Still, getting by even in a city with only one traffic light is a challenge, given that her $1,662 in Social Security only goes so far.

“Now I have roommates for the first time in my life, but it’s a comfortable way to live,” Marion said. “You gotta do what you gotta do.”

Increased costs and lost revenue

Marion’s father was in the military, and her family moved around the country as a child. He was born in Germany and moved to Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan and Texas.

“We were never rich; we were your typical middle-class family,” Marion said.

She became pregnant at 17, although she had to support her child independently. Soon after, she married a man who was not the father of her child and moved to Washington to be closer to his family. They had one child together, although they divorced four years later.

Marion raised her children north of Seattle while working as a cocktail waitress and side jobs that paid her enough to support her children. She spent 13 years at one restaurant chain, then moved on to another chain for 18 years in higher-paying management positions.

“It was hard raising your kids working so hard and making sure they were on the straight and narrow and didn’t get into trouble,” Marion said, noting that she often made sacrifices so her children could live comfortably and to receive an education. “Sometimes I look back and I don’t even know how I did it.”

She recalled having a car that would fill with smoke when she was starting out, but she couldn’t afford to buy a new one. She once borrowed $50 from her boss to give her son a Christmas present, which took her three months to pay back.

More than two decades ago, she took early retirement from her job due to extensive medical issues, including neck and back surgeries, that left her unable to work 50 to 60 hours a week at who expected the job.

She relied on Social Security Disability payments to keep her afloat, which were far less than her salary. Marion earned about $1,200 a month, which was not enough. She filed for bankruptcy and lost her apartment, then moved in with her mother for a decade before she died.

He cashed out his 401(k) early — because he couldn’t have assets while on SSDI — and spent much of his savings on dental work. Her sons also helped pay some bills during difficult times as the hours she could work were limited. He also sold painted bottles at a local art museum, bringing in about $100 a month.

“I learned to adapt little by little. I learned where to cut corners, where to buy cheap food,” Marion said. “I would clean houses under the table. A couple of times a year, I would get an extra $200, $300, $500.”

She lived on her own for over 11 years in Washington, limiting vacations to important family events. She rarely cleaned her nails or hair, shopped at Goodwill for clothes, and rarely ate out.

During the first two years of the pandemic, government assistance and a hiatus in rent increases allowed him to live frugally but comfortably. She paid $675 a month in rent when she first moved in, though that has increased to $900. However, last year her rent jumped to $1,150 for a 600-square-foot one-bedroom apartment, which she knew she couldn’t afford based on her $1,662 net in Social Security. When she applied for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, she only qualified for $23 a month.

“When you take $1,150 out of $1,662, that doesn’t leave much for food, car insurance, gas or internet,” Marion said.

Moving to rural Ohio

There was almost nowhere in Washington that he could move to for significantly less rent; even the admin fees and security deposit would be a stretch. She said her part of Washington had “deteriorated” over the past 10 years and she wanted to move somewhere safer and quieter. She knew she didn’t want to move in with her two sons because she didn’t want to be a burden on them.

Marion discussed moving with her sister and her sister’s boyfriend, even though she would have to move across the country. She decided to sell her car, leave her home state of five decades behind and move to Ohio. She went into debt for six months to afford a U-Haul and a new bed.

“I had to move, but I don’t have a network of people here,” Marion said. “I hardly know anyone, just my neighbors.”

She, her sister and her sister’s boyfriend rent a five-bedroom house for a total of $1,300 in the small town of Mechanicsburg, which has 1,700 residents and one traffic light. With utilities and other household expenses, she pays between $500 and $600 monthly. The town only has a few stores, though she said there’s little going on there, and shopping is a 20-minute drive away. Still, it’s “one of the safest places I’ve ever lived,” she said.

It took time to adjust to living with a family with different values ​​and beliefs, although she was grateful to have a roof over her head and to be able to work on her artwork. He also got used to leaving his grandchildren behind, making life “very difficult emotionally” some days.

“I never thought I’d end up with roommates because that’s something you do when you’re young, not when you’re an old person put in their way,” Marion said. “But it’s an option for seniors to live with roommates because at my age and with my Social Security, living alone isn’t always possible.”

She said her sister and her boyfriend are better off financially because they receive small pensions in addition to Social Security. Her sister’s boyfriend still works part-time to bring in extra income.

Despite cutting rent and putting money aside for savings, finances are still tight. She avoided cancer tests and stress tests at her last doctor’s appointment because they had a $300 copay. She still owes $350 for her glaucoma surgery, while paying $35 to $40 for each specialist she sees for her arthritis and leg problems. She said her doctor wanted her to wear a leg cast that would avoid surgery, although it would cost $500.

“When you’re old and you have aches and pains, the hardest part is sometimes you don’t know if you have a legitimate aches and pains or if it’s just old age,” Marion said. “With my medical expenses going up, I don’t even know how to prepare for this except to wait until October when I try to get another medical plan.”

She said her biggest concern now is saving enough to see her through the rest of her life without stressing her sons.

“My biggest thing right now is trying to save enough money to pay for cremation,” Marion said. “I don’t want my kids to be stuck paying for any kind of funeral.”

Are you worried about retirement? Contact this reporter at [email protected].