Thread: The pensioner challenge

Watching with interest for comments from others who saw the segment?

I did not see the segment but through my old work where I visited a lot of elderly people that were only on a government pension all they did was watch tv all day It was so sad. None of it was their fault it's just how things fell in to place in the end. Some times I'd try to keep extra things in the car to give them to give them a few minutes of cheer.

The ones who pay rent are even worse off also as they only get a tiny bit of extra money from the government if they pay it.

One man in particular was trying to pay off his phone bill as he called people to keep himself busy and he had all his services cut off due to money so he use to sit on his porch through daylight hours and at night time read by the street lamp.

Xavier

if you are paying rent, you are screwed! but if you have no debt, you can save a decent amount of that... I had living proof of that, my now departed grandmother saved about 30% of her income on the pension and managed to feed herself well, go on regular trips and holidays with her friends (bus trips mainly) and was a real social butterfly between CWA, her church guild and visiting friends... afterall she was only feeding one and she saw new cars and houses and big screen TV's as an excessive waste of money. There was enough money for her no doubt at all as she even bought herself a brand new rideon lawnmower for her 80th birthday. It just comes down to how wasteful your existence is and how careful you are with what you have.

pretty said isnt it. most of these people worked all their lives, some of them long hours since a young age and this is how they are repaid. Yes it could be argued that some should have put money away for their retirement, eitherway i think they deserve alot better. i for one couldnt imaging living on that much each week, with the cost of fuel, groceries plus other costs like electricity, phone bills and rent if they have to pay that it makes for very little left over to actually have a life.

Originally Posted by EchiDna

if you are paying rent, you are screwed! but if you have no debt, you can save a decent amount of that... I had living proof of that, my now departed grandmother saved about 30% of her income on the pension and managed to feed herself well, go on regular trips and holidays with her friends (bus trips mainly) and was a real social butterfly between CWA, her church guild and visiting friends... afterall she was only feeding one and she saw new cars and houses and big screen TV's as an excessive waste of money. There was enough money for her no doubt at all as she even bought herself a brand new rideon lawnmower for her 80th birthday. It just comes down to how wasteful your existence is and how careful you are with what you have.

Medication can be expensive and this use to set some of the people I saw back up to 100 bucks a week and they got 5 bucks allowance from the government for it. Some were unable to get a bus so needed a cab etc...

In a good situation like what your grandmother sounds like she was then it is possible I agree but I think a lot have it a lot harder.

Xav

Hanging out with disabled and pensioners was a real eye opener for me.
I didn't see the program on tv but I can tell you I experienced rage, frustration and shame discovering what this silent percentage of our society is going thru in this, our countries most affluent time.
When their doctor tells them they NEED to go to Hydrotherapy 3 times a week and the government has allocated funds to "Certain" organizations so that they are no longer liable for providing an effective service, these organizations cry poor, or charge 23 dollars per time.
These elderly and disabled have their life savings whittled away, then lose their houses, and all the while they have the less fortunate over for meals just so they, the LESS fortunate, can survive.
Being on a disabled pension is worse, by definition they need more services and care, can't afford specialist gap payments, xrays, medications, parking or transport costs, therapy costs and rent alone would do them in.

You know, we could stop this too.
All it would take is for a chain email to the PM.
I have never had such a bittersweet feeling as to learn that elderly pensioners who go to Good Sammys to buy all their clothes and try on old castaway spectacles so they can read, scrimping so they can offer a helping hand to a disabled pensioner that isn't making it.....shame and pride overwhelmed me.

I to and fro on this subject, one thing for sure, it motivates me now so that I don't end up living like that. I feel there is a difference between ending up on a pension versus say somebody who is on a disabled pension. The former has a whole life time to ensure their latter years....like we all do. The latter was disadvantaged from the get go and as a society should be reasonably well looked after...but to what extent. Are we meant to have a Utopian society or is it like in the jungle...survival of the fittest.

Currently and previously, something like 95-96% of the population retires onto a pension, my goal is to retire independantly wealthy, that figure scares me. The average person can start to secure their future now, but most don't, making plans whilst life passes them by. It's not like its a surprise that you become old and most likely going to need some form of medical attention. It's not a surprise that if you don't put yourself ahead now that in the future you will be behind. Again, horses for courses, for some that suits and if you are happy with that...kudo's. I personally don't feel, as noted in Aces comments, that I work all my life and expect to be somehow "repaid". It is my life, my choices, how and where I end up will be 100% on me. Its like the choice of being an employee or employer, one comes with security, one comes with risk. Most people will go security over risk any day of the week...and that is a choice. Does it mean that an employee cannot become independantly wealthy...of course not, but they have to be motivated to do so....like anyone. Ultimately depends on what your definition of success is and whether you are happy. If you have 2 arms, 2 legs and of reasonable health and end up on $269 a week when you have had 35-40+ yrs of time before that, whose fault is that?

Regards

Stevo

Without wanting to evangelise too much - Church is one really good solution to aging on limited means. The elderly people in our Church would appear to lead far, far happier and more fullfilling lives with heaps more social interaction than those without that kind of network. Not just that, but there is a real awareness in the Church community of who may be "doing it tough" and lots of people step in to cover little day to day things like driving someone to the doctor etc.

I guarantee that on $269 a week I would rely on that kind of backup to help me make ends meet and still have some fun. Some of the oldies I know get out more than I do - it's embarrassing.