[cybrgeezer]

Folks:

I have a sensitive question to ask, but since we're all anonymous here, what the heck.

I'd like to ask something about money. Specifically, income. Let's set up a scenaio:

First, we'll assume a single person living in the lowest-cost area of TV, in the manufactured homes. Further, let's assume they bought for cash and have no mortgage or other major debts.

Further, let's say this person has a moderate lifestyle; no lavish spending, but no breakfasts of dog food and beans, either.

Now, as a Villages homeowner, there would be property taxes and insurance on the hiome (and I'd REALLY like to know about insurance costs for a manufactured home here), utilities, cable, internet and all the various fees charged by the developer and the county.

Take in all that, plus all the associated costs of living in this area, even the mundane like groceries, getting a haircut or an oil change, having someone cut the grass and maybe even clean the house, plus the occasional meal out and here's my question:

What, in your opinion, would be needed in the way of annual income from all sources (Social Security, pensions, investments, even part-time work if necessary) to maintain a reasonable, moderate standard of living in The Villages?

I'm asking not to be nosy about your income but to help me decide if my planned retirement income can support a lifestyle there. With a cut in hours (and wages) at work plus a company-wide cut in salaries, plus loss of the company match in our 401(k), I'm scaling back on my anticipated future revenue. I would hate to get there, settle in and find after a few months that I couldn't afford to remain.

Any help on this is really appreciated.

Thanks.

[ConeyIsBabe]

From hanging out here at TOTV for a year, I've come to the conclusion that I would need to spend about $1,000 per month to cover all household expenses for a comfortable lifestyle, as a single lady (and that's with NO mtg).

Add to that your own PERSONAL expenditures and personal luxuries (like travel, eating out, shoes, etc.) and you have the figure you need from your income.

[kar guy]

For the last year plus, my wife and I could not get a budget done for less than $2,200 per month. This includes food, dogs, clothes, gas, termite control, bug control, a/c service, weed control, doctors bills, prescriptions, car insurance, home ins., life ins., insurance ins., the occasional going out to eat, stopping to buy an ice cream at the square, well you kind of get my drift. We still cannot believe the cost down here but you know what? everybody seems to manage fine with the income that they have. I am sure no matter what budget you have you will live within it. take care kar guy

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by cybrgeezer

Folks:

I have a sensitive question to ask, but since we're all anonymous here, what the heck.

I'd like to ask something about money. Specifically, income. Let's set up a scenaio:

First, we'll assume a single person living in the lowest-cost area of TV, in the manufactured homes. Further, let's assume they bought for cash and have no mortgage or other major debts.

Further, let's say this person has a moderate lifestyle; no lavish spending, but no breakfasts of dog food and beans, either.

Now, as a Villages homeowner, there would be property taxes and insurance on the hiome (and I'd REALLY like to know about insurance costs for a manufactured home here), utilities, cable, internet and all the various fees charged by the developer and the county.

Take in all that, plus all the associated costs of living in this area, even the mundane like groceries, getting a haircut or an oil change, having someone cut the grass and maybe even clean the house, plus the occasional meal out and here's my question:

What, in your opinion, would be needed in the way of annual income from all sources (Social Security, pensions, investments, even part-time work if necessary) to maintain a reasonable, moderate standard of living in The Villages?

I'm asking not to be nosy about your income but to help me decide if my planned retirement income can support a lifestyle there. With a cut in hours (and wages) at work plus a company-wide cut in salaries, plus loss of the company match in our 401(k), I'm scaling back on my anticipated future revenue. I would hate to get there, settle in and find after a few months that I couldn't afford to remain.

Any help on this is really appreciated.

Thanks.

Haven't you gone down this road before?
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...110#post201110

[Becky]

I think this is a completely different question and should get some honest answers. CBG, I would answer your question, but am not down FT until the end of the month. Good luck!

Becky

[cybrgeezer]

Yes, this is a completely different question.

Kar guy: Thanks for the numbers. You have a wife and dog and I have neither, so maybe I can look at even lower figures. I remember the old line "Two can live as cheaply as one ... so long as one doesn't eat."

Thanks for all the responses. And there's another thread on almost the same subject started tonight by Lone Traveller. Between us, we should get several helpful answers.

[Yoda]

Cyber, You get beans in your dog food?

Yoda

PS Ask yourself 2 questions. A) How much do I have? B) How much will I spend? If A >= to B, you are all set.

[katezbox]

Geezer,

TV sales agents have a sheet of facts and figures about what it costs to live in TV. As you said you plan to buy a manufactured home, a seller should be able to provide you with the costs of maintaining your house.

Between these two sources of info, you should have a good idea of your (somewhat) fixed costs per month.

Then as Yoda said, compare that to your monthly income. Lastly, be sure to factor food, entertainment, visits to kids, grandkids or friends.

I would also examine the costs of living SOMEWHERE ELSE. TV can be relatively inexpensive - at least as compared with the northeast where we lived - for labor and services. As we get older, we need to acknowledge that maybe we shouldn't be climbing up on the roof or planting a huge palm tree, etc.

Kate

[thegreenerside]

The more I get to thinking about these questions the more I wonder what the true expense really becomes. But, actually isn't the answer really and truly the same as what your budget was before you moved to TV? So you may take your mortgage out of the budget and save some money, but really do you want to cut your living standards just to live in The Villages? In all honesty if I go back and look at what I spent monthly before retiring here in The Villages as opposed to what I am spending currently it is the same give or take a couple hundred dollars. If you start out moving to TV or any other retirement community by deciding you are going to cut out discretionary spending then don't you really become a slave to that community? Is that how you want to spend your retirement years?