tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post8873363826520137149..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: Living well on a pensionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-2660799034649340742013-09-21T14:24:24.413+10:002013-09-21T14:24:24.413+10:00This is very lovely for you :). A pensioner in gov...This is very lovely for you :). A pensioner in government housing, will usually have rent and electricity taken out of their payment before they receive it Quite often other payments are taken like, centrelink loans, funeral or govt. cleaning fees. If they are living in a Van Park, same thing. Very few pensioners own their own home and can share the maintenance cost with another person. War windows and Legacy beneficiaries come to mind. It is a blessed position to be in; own your own home, have a living husband and somebody to share expenses. Most people on a pension will never have had the good fortune ,ever, to pay $120 for shoes or ever buy a new car. Most were working class or non workers.Billiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16834363313625496764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-321916333105432162007-09-20T18:39:00.000+10:002007-09-20T18:39:00.000+10:00My Husband and I have been married for 18 years an...My Husband and I have been married for 18 years and on one income and 3 girls, it's been hard some times but thanks God we survived and managed well, now we are looking to live a sustainable life (though land here is very expensive) and are learning a lot for that day - hope to do so in short time -.<BR/>I've enjoyed your postPurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16391811096636030060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-68503395137561594612007-09-20T11:26:00.000+10:002007-09-20T11:26:00.000+10:00Hi Debbie, it sounds like you're on the right trac...Hi Debbie, it sounds like you're on the right track. We all have to work our way out of debt and the decision to do it is often the hardest step to make.<BR/><BR/>Hi quinne, thank you from H. He really loved getting all the messages.<BR/><BR/>It's impossible without budgeting, ali. I resisted a budget for so long. I wish I'd seen how great they are 30 years ago.<BR/><BR/>Jenny, I wonder about how the kids will cope when everything gets more expensive. I reckon us old fogeys know as we've all been through it before, but for those who grew up in prosperous times, it's all new, and probably unbelievable.<BR/><BR/>Anna, it's good to see you again. I bet you were taught well and are reaping the benefits of that now.<BR/><BR/>Hello Niki and hubby! I'll be writing about this in the next week or so. Often one partner is committed to being frugal and the other is very sceptical about whether it will work. Stay tuned. ; )<BR/><BR/>Michelle, I wish I had known your pop. I love talking to older people about how they make do. It's inspiring. I hope you picked up a few of his tricks.<BR/><BR/>Marg, don't get excited about getting the age pension before you're 65. I've looked into this as I thought I'd be eligible at 60, like before. It's a sliding scale now and the early baby boomers can claim a bit earlier. My sister was born Jan 46 so is one of the earlier boomers, she gets hers at 64, I think I can get mine at 64½, I am a 1948 baby.<BR/>I would never give up the pleasures of retirement, not for any price. I know the government is urging us to work for the nation but I reckon I've worked for the nation long enough and now I'm working for me and H. I did listen to Adrienne. Her mindset is almost identical to mine, although I support more of a sustainable community approach rather than self sustainability.<BR/><BR/>Hi Bella! The Traveston Dam affects the Mary Valley mostly, not Montville and Flaxton. The towns in the Blackall Range are too high up. If your friend moves to Montville, tell her to expect to live with a whole lot of people from Sydney and Melbourne that have taken over the place.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-77333742507886651022007-09-20T10:49:00.000+10:002007-09-20T10:49:00.000+10:00Do you know Rhonda whether areas such as Montville...Do you know Rhonda whether areas such as Montville, Flaxton etc are affected by the Traveston dam? (I know this is totally off topic, so just a yes-no answer is okay)...I have an interstate friend wanting to move there. I have no idea! BellaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-63860752841187175022007-09-20T09:00:00.000+10:002007-09-20T09:00:00.000+10:00Hi RhondaI have been reading up about pensions lat...Hi Rhonda<BR/>I have been reading up about pensions lately. You may find you are eligible before you turn 65. Depends when you were born. (One of few financial perks available to older women.) <BR/>Also, there is a little known windfall you can get if you feel you can be bothered working a bit past pension age - not full time - 960 hours paid work in one year I think it is - look up Pension Bonus Scheme at http://www.centrelink.gov.au .<BR/>If you work for at least 960 hours in one year after pension age and then defer claiming the pension, you can get a big lump sum payment from the govt as a reward - goes up depending on how long you leave it - if you wait 5 years before claiming its up around $30,000. If you can live without the pension, or want to keep working, and are healthy, its worth considering as a means of boosting a nest egg. You have to jump through some hoops and register at the right time etc., but it may be worth while for some to consider this.<BR/>Also, did you catch Adrienne Langman talking about Peak Oil on Life Matters on Radio National yesterday? Compelling listening. She's almost convinced me to do the tree change thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-87047545323529576322007-09-20T08:47:00.000+10:002007-09-20T08:47:00.000+10:00My Pop lived very well on the single pension for 2...My Pop lived very well on the single pension for 24 years after my Nan died. In that time he went overseas 3 times and paid cash for a brand new car, only the 2nd new car he ever bought and the 4th car he ever owned and he was 92 when he died! He towed his little caravan around Aus every year until he was 80. He paid his first house off in the 1940's and never had a mortgage after that, actually he never had another debt his whole life! When he died he had over $20K in the bank! He grew most of his own food until he was 90 and lived very simply. He was one of the happiest and most content people I have ever known.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16907021712935423492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-20030194900938997072007-09-20T08:40:00.000+10:002007-09-20T08:40:00.000+10:00hubby and I were just discussing this not 5 minute...hubby and I were just discussing this not 5 minutes ago! I agree wholeheartedly, he is not sooo sure, but we are making progress slowly, lovely post Rhonda, especially the last bit!Nikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05943301163903634325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-21016420304474851872007-09-20T08:13:00.000+10:002007-09-20T08:13:00.000+10:00So nice to visit here again. :)I was raised by a s...So nice to visit here again. :)<BR/><BR/>I was raised by a single mother, and we had to live on her small income alone (no help from my father whatsoever). We never ate out, and trips to the movies were a rare treat. We had to save on food, clothes… anything you can imagine – because there was just no other choice.<BR/><BR/>If it was possible for us to live on Mom's income alone, it's also possible for other families where the husband earns the same amount of money. They say they can't afford it – but I know that if we made it through because we had to, it can also be done if we choose to do it. <BR/><BR/>It IS possible to spend less, much less, and live a rich and happy life!Mrs. Anna Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15377583333000789903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-1763835416086590622007-09-20T07:55:00.000+10:002007-09-20T07:55:00.000+10:00My parents live on the pension and have done for t...My parents live on the pension and have done for the past 12 years. They live a simple life and seem to be content most of the time but as they have aged ( they are now 76 and 80) and can't do everything themselves they find having to pay for home maintenance needs quite expensive. We help them when we can but they don't like to ask for help or worry us so they often prefer to pay someone to do things for them.Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06659929017085133209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-38763684032750191082007-09-20T07:54:00.000+10:002007-09-20T07:54:00.000+10:00good budgeting is definately the key ~ it is simpl...good budgeting is definately the key ~ it is simple to live on less money ~ I had to when I was a single parent, and pay rent too.Alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07636304236237630746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3209979982025708122007-09-20T06:45:00.000+10:002007-09-20T06:45:00.000+10:00Hi Rhonda :) A lovely post and thank you for the r...Hi Rhonda :) A lovely post and thank you for the reminder and encouragement! Happy belated birthday to your dear H. Love, QQuinnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14446233534591572279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-50372797656851379252007-09-20T06:24:00.000+10:002007-09-20T06:24:00.000+10:00I just need to figure out a way to get rid of the ...I just need to figure out a way to get rid of the payments we already have!!Then we could do well. No more car payments..... ever.... I mean it!!!Debbie Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01610913789958390802noreply@blogger.com