Osama bin Laden is dead

[pomtzu]

Wom - SS recipients here have not had a cost of living raise in 2 years. The powers that be decided that inflation wasn't all that bad , and we didn't need any raise. Oh yeah - let's see the powers that be, try to live on what I do each month!
I wish I had the benefit of a 401K retirement plan all the years I worked, but I didn't. It wasn't until about 10 years before I retired, that the company I had been with already for over 10 years, implemented one. I paid in the max allowable that was met by company funds, but 10 years didn't amount to much. Had I had such a plan all my working years, I would have had a nice nest egg. Again - too little/too late.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I worked for over 25 years and paid into social security all that time. I don't feel a bit guilty over drawing it now. I did have a bit of a retirement fund, unfortunately, I had to live on it while I went from doctor to doctor while the government decided on my disability.

Believe me it is no fun living solely on disability. I'd go back to work in a second if I could.

All I can say is for all of you lucky enough to still work, save every cent you can and buy your own home. When you get on limited income there is no money for rent or mortgauge payments. At least not on my budget.

I'm sure all us oldsters will die as soon as we possibly can and get out of the way.

[wombat2u2004]

All I can say is for all of you lucky enough to still work, save every cent you can and buy your own home.

And that's the trick....get a home of your own and OWN IT.
There are way too many people out there with mortgages so high that you couldn't jump over it.
Some people don't think, they go and buy a house on the hill, complete with the encyclopedia set, the completed rockery and the china ducks on the wall, only to find out that they are going to struggle struggle struggle for the rest of their lives.
Ya gotta get a house that you can afford comfortably and then buy the other stuff when you can afford it.
I built my first house when I was an apprentice carpenter, and had no carpet in it for 3 years.....living on a concrete floor is not bad when you know you own every square inch of it.

[wombat2u2004]

Wom - SS recipients here have not had a cost of living raise in 2 years. The powers that be decided that inflation wasn't all that bad , and we didn't need any raise.

Well that isn't fair. Payments should be adjusted in line with inflation and the cost of living every six months. It should be done automatically.
Our CPI rates are worked out quarterly, and pensions are adjusted automatically every 6 months.
Pension payment adjustments should not need the approval of some govt lackey every time the cost of living goes up...it has to be linked to index figures.
You will see from the following chart how these index figures change...

http://www.ato.gov.au/taxprofessiona...81&mfp=001/005

[Lady's Human]

Well that isn't fair. Payments should be adjusted in line with inflation and the cost of living every six months. It should be done automatically.
Our CPI rates are worked out quarterly, and pensions are adjusted automatically every 6 months.
Pension payment adjustments should not need the approval of some govt lackey every time the cost of living goes up...it has to be linked to index figures.
You will see from the following chart how these index figures change...

COLAs (Cost of Living adjustments) are automatic. However, because of the formula used by the United States in computing the COLAs, there have been no COLAs for two years for either Federal employees or SS recipients. IIRC, food and fuel are not included in the COLA calulations, yielding an actual drop in the cost of living.

To steal a line from someone, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. COLA calculation in the US fall into the third category.

[wombat2u2004]

COLAs (Cost of Living adjustments) are automatic. However, because of the formula used by the United States in computing the COLAs, there have been no COLAs for two years for either Federal employees or SS recipients. IIRC, food and fuel are not included in the COLA calulations, yielding an actual drop in the cost of living.

To steal a line from someone, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. COLA calculation in the US fall into the third category.

Then if they don't include those items like food and fuel, then the cost of living calculations are wrong......so how the hell do they get away with this ??
And how the hell can the public know what the TRUE inflation figures are ??? And therefore the true state of the economy ???
Ours include everything.........
Food
Alcohol and tobacco
Clothing and footwear
Housing
Household contents and services
Health
Transportation
Communication
Recreation
Education
Financial and insurance services