Since we are both on unemployment and were getting an extra $300 due to the pandemic, that is now stopping as of beginning of September. That cuts a lot out of our budget but we can still survive on what we have.
Good news is, Jon FINALLY got through to SS and straightened out why his account was locked. Apparently someone got hold of his phone number (or he fumbled it more than allowed) and it permanently locked his online account. Not his SS account. So got that straightened out and figured out that his monthly amount if he files now (at 63) is about what he's bringing in with unemployment $1028. Badabing, badaboom, got it through and has to wait for paperwork in the mail to fill out and send back.
Me on the other hand, being 62 would only be $928 or something like that. Doesn't even cover the rent currently. I will wait until after my birthday in October to see if it goes up, if not we have to hold off on me filing and see if it goes up. I'm not contributing to it and am not working so it may be stuck at that number.
We are thankful for having an affordable living space but I am still dreaming about having a place of our own, enough room for his hobbies, my hobbies and Rocky to run around to his hearts content. A place with a small yard and trees. Room for a small garden and maybe a back patio or porch to bbq on. I was looking at the mobile homes for sale around here and not much under $100k that is what I'm looking for. Found a nice one up in Washington, wonderful space inside, front and back porch, 2br/2ba and wonderful open living room. Sigh.
It's the dreams that are keeping me going I think. I know, like cars, that being able to afford the initial cost is one thing, keeping it up with payments, repairs, maintenance and things is entirely different. You have to have the ongoing income to be able to sustain keeping it long term. That's why I look at projected mortgage payment and then, unfortunately, most listings don't include the lease of the land where the home is at. I did find a few listings and they were more than the mortgage payment by a lot! I suppose that with a lot of older buyers they have millions in retirement money and pensions and such and can afford to pay off the actual home in a shorter time and then are just left with the space lease.
I even looked into modular/prefab homes but those are mostly back east. Very few out here likely for a variety of reasons and of course more in the realm of a new house price even for a smaller model. We just need to play and win the lottery once. That's all, even with taxes and such, socking almost all of whatever we get away and sit on it for a year or two. Then buy a house and property outright, move and remodel, less than a million right there with enough in interest to live on.
If we last that long.
Jon got really depressed and I did minorly even though we knew that the extra money wasn't going to last that long. He's better now that he got SS paperwork started but we're still just going to hang in there for a while. Definitely want to move some place cooler, and of course by the time we can or have the opportunity, Global warming will thumb it's nose and say, 'ha! You thought it would be better up here!'
Anyway, we're still hanging around, I'm doing gardening, we're working on trying to eat healthier and going to push him and I to exercise a bit more. Walking around the mall or wherefer when it cools down a bit. He wants to cut down on sodas, I told him portion control is also good, 'one thing at a time'.. hurts him to have to curb his normal eating habits but honestly if we can last a few years longer...have to keep reminding him.
That's all... for now.
No comments:
Post a Comment