My monthly budget in reference to the debate on the stimulus.

[Kaleva]

I get a little over 16k a year and if the stimulus money was distributed based on need, I wouldn't need it. On the other hand, someone making over $60 a year might be in great need of it.

It'd be very complicated to distribute the funds on a need basis.

It's not my intent to argue that any single person making over $50k or $75k a year doesn't need it as I don't know their situation but I do want to show that not everyone below the talked about thresholds is in desperate need of the extra $1400. I'll take whatever they give and I'll spend it locally. I won't complain even if they drop it all together.

Full disclosure: I'm married and my wife is also disabled, she was disabled long before we met, and she gets about the same a month as I do.

Assuming my wife passed away, below would be my monthly budget for just myself. You'll notice there is no expense for vehicles because of choice. I could probably get a beater for transportation but I'd rather rely on public transportation, using the scooter in good weather, walking or catching a ride and have that money otherwise spent on a vehicle available for other things. I have two homes which are paid for. The one I stay in is about 2300 square feet, two story on 5 lots. The small one is on one lot and is 900 square feet. The small one is handy for extra storage and is a place to for family to stay when needed. For a few days, it's fully furnished, or for several months.

Income

$1205 SSDI
+$142.29 VA pension
---------
$1347.29 Total

Monthly Expenses

$39.98 Home Phone, cell phone & internet
$100 LP Gas for heating and cooking primary home
$20 Natural Gas for heating and cooking second home
$145 Electricity primary home
$20 Electricity second home
$125 Property taxes and homeowners insurance primary home
$88 Property taxes and homeowners insurance second home
$15 Garbage pickup
$49 Water & sewer primary home
$43 Water & sewer second home
$11.99 Hulu
$9.50 Amazon Prime
$2 Wiki
$5 DU
$200 Food, personal hygiene
$12 Dog food
$10 My medication VA CoPay
$100 Miscellaneous, clothing
-----
$995.47 total expenses

$1347.29
-$995.47
------
$351.82 available for discretionary spending

For comparison, here is a link to my budget that I posted here back in 2013:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1128&pid=1785

[leftieNanner]

1. Great Post

And the argument about lowering the threshold doesn't take into account where you live. $50,000 in San Francisco is a whole lot different from $50,000 in Omaha, Nebraska.

If it goes back into the local economy (as you mentioned) then it will be good stimulus for every area.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. It still boggles my mind that people in California must live on the same minimum wage as those in

Wyoming.

[Kaleva]

3. States are free to raise the minimum wage to any level they wish

The federal minimum wage is the minimum that all states must meet.

[progree]

4. Unfortunately, more than half the states are run by right-wing chuckleheads

who think the only people who are paid at or near minimum wage are teenagers and trainees, who should be delighted to be "given a chance", and the pay is just an extra undeserved benefit bestowed by magnanimous employers, or, in blue states, imposed by dictatorial Democratic regimes trying to impose socialism.

[Kaleva]

5. They are run by RW chuckleheads 'cause a majority of voters there are RW chuckleheads

And we know that low income whites tend to vote Repub.

[moonscape]

6. Impressive and inspiring. It clearly shows where

I could cut back. A friend also budgets $50/wk for food and I always think about this when I do curbside for $100 easy.

And you manage this with 2 homes. Congrats and well-budgeted!

[Kaleva]

7. It wasn't easy adjusting to SSDI

But it is nice to now being able to go to bed with no worries about money even though I'm a little over $3k above the federal poverty level.

[Blue_true]

8. Your food and personal care item expenditure is almost the

same as mine, I spend $240 per month. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke, so I likely save a lot there. I don’t eat out much, I am a fairly skilled cook.

[Kaleva]

9. My food budget a few years ago was a little over $100 a month.

I really wouldn't want to go back to that again as many of my meals consisted of boiled potatoes and homemade sauerkraut or boiled potatoes with boiled cabbage.

But I could if I had to.

[Blue_true]

10. What I have learned is that grocery store tendencies are helpful for me.

Stores sell everything in “family” sizes, so as a single person, I had to learn how to repackage and store wet and dry food. My eating habits are such that I naturally stretch food, for example, one chicken breast forms the basis of three meals for me, so the “family” packages would last months for me, fortunately for chicken, there are four breast packages. My food bill is likely helped by the fact that on most days, I don’t eat breakfast or lunch because I am doing stuff and just don’t have the time, I drink water or a soft drink to make up, but as I have gotten older, I can’t finish soft drinks over 12 ounces in a few hours. So, a lot of my personal quirks factor into my food bill savings, I don’t feel deprived though and that is important.

Generally, I feel that if people are living lives that stress them out, they need to stop and carefully analyze the choices that they are making. At least, that is how I have tried to live my life.

[Kaleva]

11. I'd buy 1 or more rotisserie chickens when priced to sell at $1.99

The meat would be the basis of a number of different meals and I'd boil the carcasses(s) and skin to make a chicken stock.

Here is a link to a thread I posted back in 2018 where I list meals and give costs:

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/11283858

[Blue_true]

12. Look like you are pretty creative in the kitchen.

The link was interesting, I read every post. I consider myself a good novice cook, but you smoke me.