[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

That's probably correct, BUT... as in the case of our relatives, they definitely planned AND saved all their lives, taking in-state vacations with the family at places like state parks, in order to better take of their needs in the retirement years. They DID plan on inflation, but 5-6%, not even the "experts" told them to expect more. So, while $25 is a pittance to many, The Villages was always sold as the "poor mans dream", a place where "ordinary people" can belong to a country club and live like Kings and Queens (to quote Chi Chi Rodriguez back in the day). So our relatives were actually "put out of their house" (translate, no longer affordable), not by $25 alone, but by $3-$4 gasoline, $150 and more "co-pays" after our government made our monthly insurance premiums so much more "affordable", $5 a pound hamburger, 40% increase in utilities, and the list goes on as you too probably know. Unfortunately, their public school pensions (they get NO social security even though they did pay theirs, but their state forbids "double dipping" so you pay into both and then must choose which ONE you wish to take benefits from at the the time of your retirement. The annual COLA for their pension amounts to $78 a month more for 2023... it just was not sustainable in The Villages. We have recently been concerned about the number of people we know here who have lost a spouse and found their income reduced by 50%. Now that would be the same in any community, but in the Villages it is especially difficult... even a McDonald's burger here costs more than the community our relatives moved to less than 40 miles away ! So, don't be too harsh or just assume people who find themselves in a tight budget are just silly people who knew nothing about planning or saving. Not always the case.

..to say nothing of the difference in wages people were paid 10-15-20 years ago compared to today’s standards. A burger flipper now makes about the same as a retiring RN made 20 years ago.

I remember an elderly couple telling us years how they had saved diligently for retirement and thought they would live quite comfortably. They were in their nineties and, although they had lived their retirement very conservatively, inflation was making them fearful of their money running out. They were such good neighbors and it pains us to think about their last years being fraught with worries about money.

I’m not going to judge anyone’s financial issues in retirement. We’re comfortable but the right set of circumstances could change any of our situations.

The Villages is a pricey retirement location. People can find very nice locations for lower costs and should consider them if it’s getting difficult to make ends meet. Having a peaceful, affordable retirement is gold.