So What Would YOU DO With a $250 Check?

Patt · #21 10/17/10, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callieslamb

I'd buy enough blackberry plants to put in a U-pick or build a green house. Or maybe sock it away for seeds for the future.

That's an excellent idea!

GrannyG · #22 10/17/10, 09:30 PM

If it is like the last one, they take more back in taxes at the end of the year than it is worth...they can keep it...I laugh when they say cost of living hasn't gone up...they have raised our insurance twice so far, an increase of over $60 per month.....and we are on fixed incomes....

chickenslayer · #23 10/17/10, 09:57 PM

That would just about cover a day out on my boat.

Windy in Kansas · #24 10/18/10, 07:57 AM

Let's look at this $250 in a different way. I'll relate it to capitol credit refund I received some years back from a cooperative utility company.

The lady asked me what I would do with the $16 refund, whether I might buy a steak dinner, fill up my gas tank, or ????

I told her that I would invest it, which caused her to laugh and comment that I'd have a few more cents for my effort at the end of the year.

I told her no, that I would invest it in a bag of fertilizer, some tomato plants, and some water. I would then sell the tomatoes thus making many times my investment plus having the benefit of eating delicious tomatoes that were too poor in quality to sell.

This was several years ago when prices were different. I told her that the tomato plant record yield was over 300 pounds per plant and if I could get 1/10th of that production from just one plant and sell it at 50¢ per pound I would have $15, but that I had money for several plants from the capitol credit refund.

$16 or $250, feel free to blow it, invest it, or whatever. It can be a windfall or it can be a dab of coffee money at $2 a cup. BTW, that $2 a cup coffee is at a restaurant that then gives free refills for 4 hours as long as you remain in the restaurant.

Tomato production record story: http://home.comcast.net/~pobrien48/T...rld_Record.htm

foaly · #25 10/18/10, 08:49 AM

I'd buy a Berkey water filter.

TheMartianChick · #26 10/18/10, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

Let's look at this $250 in a different way. I'll relate it to capitol credit refund I received some years back from a cooperative utility company.

The lady asked me what I would do with the $16 refund, whether I might buy a steak dinner, fill up my gas tank, or ????

I told her that I would invest it, which caused her to laugh and comment that I'd have a few more cents for my effort at the end of the year.

I told her no, that I would invest it in a bag of fertilizer, some tomato plants, and some water. I would then sell the tomatoes thus making many times my investment plus having the benefit of eating delicious tomatoes that were too poor in quality to sell.

This was several years ago when prices were different. I told her that the tomato plant record yield was over 300 pounds per plant and if I could get 1/10th of that production from just one plant and sell it at 50¢ per pound I would have $15, but that I had money for several plants from the capitol credit refund.

$16 or $250, feel free to blow it, invest it, or whatever. It can be a windfall or it can be a dab of coffee money at $2 a cup. BTW, that $2 a cup coffee is at a restaurant that then gives free refills for 4 hours as long as you remain in the restaurant.

Tomato production record story: http://home.comcast.net/~pobrien48/T...rld_Record.htm

I like your style!

Sparrow · #27 10/18/10, 10:16 AM

It's better than the NOTHING we were going to get.

Patt · #28 10/18/10, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

$16 or $250, feel free to blow it, invest it, or whatever. It can be a windfall or it can be a dab of coffee money at $2 a cup. BTW, that $2 a cup coffee is at a restaurant that then gives free refills for 4 hours as long as you remain in the restaurant.

Tomato production record story: http://home.comcast.net/~pobrien48/T...rld_Record.htm

I think honestly one of the biggest problems I have had is looking at small windfalls as coffee money rather than investment money. Great point!

Yvonne's hubby · #29 10/18/10, 04:44 PM

250 bucks would buy me 25 cartons of smokes... a six month supply or somewhere in the range of 20 refills for my jug... another si.... oops, maybe four months worth or it would pay for all my garden supplies for an entire year! It would also double my current annual income if not triple it so, yes please, send it ASAP!!

Danaus29 · #30 10/18/10, 04:48 PM

Solar panel or a new storm door.

SquashNut · #31 10/18/10, 05:15 PM

If I had been living on a fixed income and the economy was this bad I would welcome the $250.
By now the cuboards would be bare and i would have been shopping in the thrift stores for most of my clothing.
So new socks and underwear would be a god send.
25 pounds of oat meal, 50 pounds of flour, 25 pounds of beans, 25 pounds of sugar, 25 pounds of corn meal..... you get the idea. How about next years garden seeds, canning jar lids?

Wisconsin Ann · #32 10/18/10, 06:21 PM

If I had to live on my SS, I'd just give up. $250 wouldn't even cover the increase in my Medicare Part B deduction this year. Add that to the Advantage policy going away, so many will need a second insurance policy, and clinics like mine that are talking about dropping ALL medicare patients and well...you get the drift.

I would think that $250 would be best spent on something that is really an investment...like the seeds, or that canner you have your eye on.

<sigh>

Colorado · #33 10/18/10, 06:24 PM

Like Shrek said that is like a $20 a month increase. Does not increase your SS base any of course for raises. If they want to give it to me I will be happy to have it. But I am not counting on it. It will stay it the bank to have to help cover taxes and med ins. Of course it will not cover my increase in bills.

edcopp · #34 10/18/10, 08:46 PM

$250 worth of Food, Fuel and Energy.

dragonjaze · #35 10/18/10, 08:51 PM

It would go to pay off a bit of debt so I can save up for my land and get the heck outta here!

(of course, I tell myself that...but I just bought a miter saw...)

where I want to · #36 10/19/10, 02:36 AM

People constantly talk about living on a fixed income. I'm not sure what it means but Social Security has a COLA built into it, so how is that fixed?
Things are going up and, since COLAs cover increases in costs in the prior year, I would suspect there will be one next year.
And most people are protected from Medicare Part B increases if the COLA is less than the proposed increase in Premiukm.

Laura Zone 10 · #37 10/19/10, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beccachow

Am I the only one who finds it laughable that, once again, a $250 bribe is being talked about? $250. That isn't going to help the elderly recoup the losses from increases in cost of living, increases in healthcare premiums, etc. $250. What a laugh. So let's see how much this will help them.

For $250, I can pay a quarter of my mortgage for a month. I can buy maybe three weeks of groceries. I can pay half of my electric bill for a month.

How about you? If you fell into a windfall like $250 to offset the cost of living (probably in the neighborhood of thousands, all things considered), how many ways would YOU spend it all? And hey, you don't have to spend it all in one place.

Yes, on preps. I would stock up on food.

Wisconsin Ann · #38 10/19/10, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

People constantly talk about living on a fixed income. I'm not sure what it means but Social Security has a COLA built into it, so how is that fixed?
Things are going up and, since COLAs cover increases in costs in the prior year, I would suspect there will be one next year.
And most people are protected from Medicare Part B increases if the COLA is less than the proposed increase in Premiukm.

The COLA is tied to the costs of an urban middle income purchaser (it's an actual index of costs). Since there was actually a DECREASE in costs back in 2008 (remember when fuel went sky high?...then it dropped back down to normal?) we're still at lower than 2008/ prices. SO...there is no COLA. There was a 5.8% increase given in 2009 to compensate for that fuel cost which affected every other aspect of costs.

Prices on food and services have pretty much steadied since then, but the price of fuel hasn't. and THAT is why there is no cost of living adjustment.

As to fixed income...that means you don't have overtime, you don't get the chance at a promotion, don't get a RAISE (COLA is not a raise; it's tied to other costs) Granted, no one who is on straight SS retirement is restricted to just SS. Many who are on SSD however, ARE restricted. Also SSI, I think.

You dont' have to believe me, but it's been announced there will be no COLA. Reasons and more info are here: http://www.ssa.gov/cola/

jefferson · #39 10/19/10, 01:50 PM

The check arrived today. Oh goody, That will take care of about 1/3 of my wifes meds for this month. She is on part D and in the donut hole right now. I, thank God, am covered by the VA.

Michael W. Smith · #40 10/20/10, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wisconsin Ann

As to fixed income...that means you don't have overtime, you don't get the chance at a promotion, don't get a RAISE (COLA is not a raise; it's tied to other costs) Granted, no one who is on straight SS retirement is restricted to just SS. Many who are on SSD however, ARE restricted. Also SSI, I think.

I kind of have to agree with "where I want to". "Fixed income" is a word always thrown out there, and usually it refers to people who are retired and rely on their pensions (if they have one), other investments (if they have them) and Social Security.

Now according to Wisconsin Ann, I'm also on a "fixed income" because I only work 40 hours a week (but sometimes I do get overtime).

I beg to differ, but almost everyone out there can raise their income. Get a job if you don't have one (or another one), babysit for your neighbor, raise extra vegetables and sell the extra, scrap steel, have a yard sale and sell some of your own "junk", buy someone else's "junk" when an estate auction is almost at the end - you can get a whole row of boxes of misc. stuff and then have your yard sale and sell it, etc.

Social Security was NEVER meant to be enough to sustain a person in retirement - it was meant to be a "buffer" and be "extra money" each month compared to your other investments.

For those who DIDN'T save for retirement, I don't want to hear it.

For those who COULDN'T save for retirement (for whatever reason/s), I feel for you. I'm sure times are tough.

But I digress, "fixed income" doesn't usually apply to MOST people.