Fixed Income living this winter, could be big problems

[Beeman]

With the insane cost of energy this winter could be real rough on people, especially fixed income seniors. I don't see how many, especially in the north will be able to keep their house warm enough to live. I fear many will become cold and ill or others will try unconventional heat and possibly have fires or other problems. Maybe we should look around now at who might need some help before it gets cold.

[Tiempo]

I agree, I think it's looking really grim for some folks

[insocal]

Even here in SoCal we could have trouble. My 1-BR apartment is virtually uninsulated. I got a $230 electric bill (for two months) after our record-breaking cold January. All I have is three built-in space heaters (in the wall with tiny blower fans). My plan for the coming winter is to ONLY heat the room I am physically in at the time - close off the bedroom and just heat the living room/kitchen/bathroom during the evening, then at bedtime close the hall door and only heat the hall/bathroom/bedroom.

I was only keeping the apartment at about 60 degrees, so it's not like I was living in comfort, lol. But there is no need to be heating the other room. My cat will just have to get used to closed doors. I'll move the cat food and water into the hall at night.

Ths is how everybody used to live. They closed off the unused rooms, and everybody hung out together in the main room with the heat source during the day and evening. Sleeping "cold" is healthier and more comfortable anyway.........though I don't like a cold head or icy nose (and yes, it gets that cold here).

[Explorer]

I use an electric matress pad instead of heating the bedroom.

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by insocal

Ths is how everybody used to live. They closed off the unused rooms, and everybody hung out together in the main room with the heat source during the day and evening.

That's what I've always done.

Originally Posted by Explorer

I use an electric matress pad instead of heating the bedroom.

A wool blanket works well.

[Alice Kramden]

This past winter, I got by using an electric quartz heater here in the LR.

It worked okay, I was warm. The reason I used it was the gas heater on the wall (natural gas) is messed up and I'm afraid to use it.

If I go to use it on one brick, which 90 per cent of the time is all I need, something is wrong and fire comes out and up the front like a torch. Two bricks gets too hot and I have to constantly be cutting it back to pilot, then back up. It roars like a jet fighter taking off.

I checked on having a HVAC company come and check on it, but can't afford their labor rates. Meant to get a new heater at Lowes or HD this winter, but it never happened, money again.

So, I just got the electric one, and was surprised that the power bill didn't go up that much.

For several years I've done some old timey type things to heat and cool until I can afford better. (Which looks more and more undoable.)

I've bought heavy fleece, in patterns I like, to hang over the doors. The LR has no solid door, so I strung up heavy fishing line and draped the fleece over it, and secure it with a couple of clothespins. It looks like a southwestern saddle blanket and matches my cowboy decor.

To hold the heat or the cool in, I pull it closed. When I don't need heat or A/C, I pull it back and out of the way. This way, I can heat and cool this one room.

Same over the door to the basement. I had to take down the solid door, as the cats ruined it. Hung up a horse print fleece there, doubled. 4 yards of fleece equal 12 feet, which will make a double curtain over a six foot door.

Bathroom has a beautiful western print fleece doubled, too. The genius who built the house put the bathroom door in line of sight with the front door, so I've had to have something to hang there, rather than keep the wooden door closed all the time.

Now, I have a big fan sitting in the kitchen window pointed out. I can turn it on and it will pull air all through the house and out the kitchen window. Open everything up and move air.

When it gets hot and humid, I can shut windows and turn on the window A/C and either close up this room and keep it all in here, or open the LR curtain and let some cool go back in the BR and kitchen.

The house is very small, so that has its advantages.

Now, talking about what folks on SS and retirement (me) are going to do to pay for heat this winter...I have a little wiggle room so far.
Other folks don't. Those up in the Northeast using oil to heat with are going to suffer. Folks using propane are going to hurt.

There will likely be people freezing to death because they can't afford any kind of heat.

Its going to be a very bad situation.

[steff bugielski]

Try living in NY or worse. There will be many who will not be able to put fuel in their tanks, or food on the table, let alone do both. . Fuel oil is already $4.50 a gallon here. Last year it cost us $3,000.00 to heat our tenants' apartments. This year it will be around $5,000.00
We heat with wood but replaced all the tenants heat with electric. The price of electric has only gone up a few cents in the last couple of years.

[michiganfarmer]

they are going to have to move in with family

[chris30523]

At the price of fuel all of the seniors on fixed incomes will have trouble even buying food. I saw one sad little lady in the grocery store looking at prices and shaking her head and putting stuff back on the shelf. She had a loaf of bread in her cart and was walking every isle. Made me really think about how hard this is going to get for these folks.We always donate to the local soup kitchen and food bank and will continue to do so.There is also a program through our energy co-op to give to help seniors with their energy bills.

[stranger]

what i know for a fact is that there people (seniors) that are retired with a pension plus SS,lifetime med. no mortgage, yet they are hitting all the food banks in the area and picking up food.
they're entitled to it just for being a senior, but when they come out the door of the pantry with a couple boxes of food and pass people who really need the food but were turned away because there was none left, they don't even feed bad.
It's going to be interesting when i write the local paper about this. I think some people will be avoiding me this winter.

[Txsteader]

DH retired in March & I was just commenting how ironic it was that the cost of living absolutely skyrocket at the same time he reached retirement age. We, too, still have some wiggle room but at the rate it's going, who knows for how long. Certainly won't be doing the 'fun' things we'd planned, like traveling.

[Beeman]

The question is what can we do to help? Of course there will be some that will abuse any system but focusing on them will not help the others. We have a local ministry that qualifies and helps the needy. I think one of the biggest problems will be identifying the needy. In many cases the ones that do need help will never ask for it as they've always done for themselves. Unfortunately the deck is stacked too high against them now with all prices rising like they have.

Of course if they moved in with family that would be a simple solution. Unfortunately we're in the US where family is becoming a forgotten thing and spread out across thousands of miles. Ever visit a nursing home or have an elderly neighbor that no one ever visits?

[edcopp]

Originally Posted by stranger

what i know for a fact is that there people (seniors) that are retired with a pension plus SS,lifetime med. no mortgage, yet they are hitting all the food banks in the area and picking up food.
they're entitled to it just for being a senior, but when they come out the door of the pantry with a couple boxes of food and pass people who really need the food but were turned away because there was none left, they don't even feed bad.
It's going to be interesting when i write the local paper about this. I think some people will be avoiding me this winter.

How can you tell the difference between a senior who needs help and one who does not, just by looking?

You might be looking at a senior who has been in business several times in his/her lifetime only to go broke several times. Perhaps worse yet you might be looking at a senoir who has helped a child (adult) in a business that went broke and stripped the senior of assets.

Then again the senior that you are looking at may have worked for a company that went broke and stripped said senior of his/her retirement plan. Now I will admit that I do know a few seniors who had military time and get some medical care because of that. I figure that they earned it.

Personally, and I am a senior; the last 25 years that I worked it was impossible to find an employer that offered medical care, or a retirement plan other than Social Security.

Myself I saved my money this past year and bought a government surplus sleeping bag. A mummy type that is rated down to 0*. That should help me if I need to move to a warmer clomate. I can use it when I need to sleep under a picnic table, in a roadside rest area.

O.K. Continue your whine.

[Batt]

Originally Posted by edcopp

How can you tell the difference between a senior who needs help and one who does not, just by looking?

Perhaps unlike in some overpopulated parts of the country the parties are known to each other.

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by edcopp

How can you tell the difference between a senior who needs help and one who does not, just by looking?

You can't just by looking, but I like to get to know the seniors around me and those with whom I come in contact via my volunteer work, and it's not too hard to figure out which ones need help, and which ones don't.

[Helena]

I'm calling the coal companies today and see if I can get a ton of coal delivered ..now. And get our 20 tons of pole length fire wood delivered also. If we wait any longer I dread to see the prices for this winter. Even though we have seasoned wood to see us through this winter I always want that extra year on hand..just in case...I guess when it comes to the Food Banks and people taking foods they don't really need is left up to their own conscience. There will always be people like this no matter how bad or good the times are. We also have the heating mattress pad on the bed and it is very toasty on cold northern nights here. Of course, just snuggling...is always good too !!

[nodak3]

I know some folks will truly suffer, but on the whole these are not "hard times" but rather "getting real" times.

Areas where as a society we need to get real:

As a senior myself, I can say it is insane to insist on keeping the larger home where you raised your kids. If you cannot heat or cool it, downsize.

It is insane not to live close to your job. Excuses abound but all they are are excuses. Don't bother.

We need to relearn seasonal living. How many expect to run around barefoot in thin shorts and tees at night with the heat cranked up? How many refuse to dress more lightly come summer?

How many grouse about the high cost of electricity while running every conceivable appliance full tilt?

Some stuff already mentioned, such as long johns and closing off parts of the home, etc, were not considered "frugal" or "suffering" a generation ago. Just common sense. Ditto wood stoves, clothes lines, good window coverings, taking time to open and close windows, etc.

And how many complaining about energy costs still run a "latte factor" lifestyle with bottled water and starbucks and micky-d, etc, daily?

We got spoiled to cheap energy.....artificially cheap. We can still power our own country at reasonable prices without destroying the environment, but we lack the political will. We have nimbyitis--no one want to see, hear, or smell a refinery, coal mine, oil well, gas well, nuclear plant, or even be near a wind farm. No one wants more power lines in their own area.

We would rather pay our deadly enemies for the stuff--thereby buying for them the bombs to destroy us.

We need to get serious about using only what we need, producing it ourselves, and paying what it really costs to do so.

And being thankful we can do it.

[Selena]

I agree -- the last natural gas bill (we heated mostly with wood this winter) showed $1.24 a therm!! Almost double what it was last Sept/Oct. Everyone should be looking to see where he/she can save money and energy.
And while folks should be downsizing, some real estate markets will preclude this from happening. These folks will need to figure out how to heat only what is needed. And tell themselves it is ok to put up plastic and other energy savers despite what the neighbors/acquaintances might think.
Some probably have had their service disconnected and are trying to pay-off last year's bills thus putting them behind the eight-ball for next winter.

[mommagoose_99]

We are lucky that last year was a mild winter. We still have enough wood to take us through most of next year. We buy truck loads of logs. The price per load is up to $325 from $275 2 years ago. I expect this to go up conciderably soon. We use 3 loads per year. I am wondering how much higher the costs of cutting and splitting the wood will go up?

[ricky]

right now is the time to think about winter. the fuel is only going to get worse as long as we pay the price it will keep going up. every one needs to work hard on next winter Now not later. its time for the extendid family to come back. pool all resources. make sure you and yours is ready . time to have lots of kids that can do lots of work. people survived worse times i recon they will survive this too. no answers here i worry about mine only i know its bad to think that way but its survival ill pray for every one else