Here's where my money goes on an ongoing monthly basis

[Aviation Pro]

1. Mortgage
2. Health Insurance
3. Property Insurance
4. Auto Insurance
5. Student Loan
6. 3 Personal Loans
7. Cell Service
8. Internet Service
9. Food
10. Gas
11. Pet Insurance
12. Utilities
13. Lawn Maintenance

I'm sure everyone is getting it. For the most part, I'm servicing things that aren't concrete and that I won't use unless "something" happens. So, in addition to not buying shit, I'm going to take a good hard look at ways to reduce these (IMO) parasitic drains on my income and revenue stream.

(Note: I did not include investment monies because that's still my money or taxes, which is another thread).

[The Madcap]

1. It doesn't leave much after that.

And you don't even list streaming services or recreation/entertainment. It's ridiculous what things cost here. It makes it very very tempting to just sell everything and bail out to some other country where you can live cheaper.

[mr715]

2. I never owned a home

I'm surprised lawns make at it a big expense. Never even thought about it. Are you a proud lawn steward? Do you have a rich and robust lawn?

[Nittersing]

3. I have a pretty small lawn

and pay $28 a week for mowing, so that's $112 or $140 per month. If there are flower beds and other stuff, I can imagine a higher cost.

[hunter]

5. In all the years my wife and I have been married...

... the cost of our health insurance has always exceeded the cost of our housing.

[Ms. Toad]

6. Quite different from where my money goes.

1. Travel 23%
2. Food 22%
3. Health Insurance 18%
4. Utilities (gas, electric, phone) 8%
5. Property taxes 7%
6. Property insurance 6%
7. Car insurance 5%
8. Gasoline 4
9. Home Internet 3%
10. Non-travel entertainment 2%
11. Other car expenses 1%
12. Clothing 1%

Health Insurance - I consume a lot of health care - so it pays for itself (virtually no out-of-pocket, aside from insurance). Our home was paid off

So pretty much all of my money, except for car insurance and property insurance, is going for something I actually use (or supports things I actually want to support - community schools, fire/police/ems, libraries, mental health).

(I haven't included federal taxes in the computation - it would be the top expense.)

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. Around a year ago I moved to a senior living facility

in Santa Fe. It's an independent/assisted living place, and I'm on the independent side.

I pay $3300/month which includes, rent, all utilities, two meals a day, and lots of services and such. On Fridays we go to a restaurant for lunch. Sadly, almost no one signs up, so it's invariably me, my friend John, and one or two other people.

There's been a change in management here, and things (meaning meals, activities, resident services) have improved a lot. We have a new director who seems to really care that things are good for us. Meanwhile, I'm very glad not to have the responsibility of owning a home.

When I sold my place I got a hunk of cash which I intend to spend on myself, as much as I can.

[KentuckyWoman]

8. 80+ yr old in a senior village

Income
$1403 SSA - after Medicare premium
$750 - Surviving spouse income from husband's UAW pension
$300 - from savings

Costs
$1548 - shelter
$258 - auto related
$338 - medical related
$300 - food, cleaning etc

I could cut out the pool, internet, the occasional eat out or day trip with the village, but life would be a lot more isolated than it already is at this age.