There isn't much in my extras I found. My amenities, garbage, water (both irrigation & drinking) and sewage comes on one bill every month and averages about $235. I have a masonry 2BR CYV built in 2011 that I bought new.
Electric last bill was $85, it's usually between $80 to $95.
I paid cash for my home, so I have no mortgage and when I pay my taxes, usually in November the bond is included with the taxes. My bond was $14,000 so I pay $1100 every year for the bond. In addition there is a yearly maintenance fee and mine was $450, that is also included on the tax bill.
I do my own yard maintenance, since I have a CYV I was able to remove all my grass and have just shrubs, palm trees and gravel. I trim my shrubs myself, fertilize and just yesterday I power-washed my back patio, and I will do my driveway this afternoon. I bought Ryobi Power-Washer with a buffer attachment type head at Home Depot. CYV are great for those who want less yard work and a privacy fenced backyard.
I have Directv and that $135 a month. I have Century Link for internet and home phone, the internet if 100 mbps and the phone is a regular type phone with unlimited long distance included. That's $90 a month. I'm going soon get rid of the home phone and go with two Consumer Cellular smart phones for $45 a month and the internet will then be $49 a month guaranteed for life.
My homeowner's insurance I bought through The Villages Insurance Agency, they are located at each square. I was with American Integrity in 2011 and it was $505 a year, by 2018 it had risen to $985. I switched to Cabrillo Coastal and in 2019 it was $565 and in 2020 it was $619. That includes catastrophic ground collapse and sink hole with 10% deductible. Living in this section of Florida, it's referred to as 'sink hole alley', don't buy insurance without sink hole coverage.
I generally don't carry or have much cash on hand. I buy gas, all food, all restaurants and most everything else with my Master Card and I get one bill at the end of each month. That's really my biggest expense, the day-to-day living costs. I buy my gas at the Walmart at Colony and I buy my groceries at the Walmart at Colony and occasional items at Publix that Walmart might out. Also by using a charge, I get 2% back on all purchases from my CC. I purchase some items on Amazon and eBay, once again the CC is used.
One of my biggest expenses was the MVP Gym membership at Brownwood. My first five years I paid $109 a month in for my wife and me, but since 2018 it has been included free with my United Health Medicare Advantage plan. United Health plan is one of two plans accepted by TV Health Care System, so that good to have since you'll see their medical buildings throughout TV. There is no premiums for the plan, your Medicare pays the costs. So once you're 65 it really doesn't cost you anything. I also have VA Medical coverage and we a large fairly new (built in 2010) medical center in the north end of TV that covers 16,000 veterans.
Honestly I don't know why so many people pay so much for extras, my monthly expenses run about $600 to $800 not counting my credit card. I have no loans, paid cash for the home, paid cash for the golf cart, paid cash for the car. I say, when retire be lean and clean. That's what I do. Here's the home I pay these expenses for, it will be ten years old next month and this photo was taken in 2019.
