If you are a baby boomer who has recently hit retirement and
you are now living on a fixed income, you may be surprised at how you can make
a little go a long way. Wilma Pinstein is a real estate agent and specialist
for active
adult communities in Valencia, Florida. Wilma Pinstein aims to sell you the
perfect home that will fit your needs, as well as your lifestyle. Wilma finds
joy in helping all of her clients and potential clients find and adopt the
perfect active
adult lifestyle in Valencia.
Here are some of the 55 plus community specialist’s tips for
stretching your fixed budget as far as possible:
·
Downsize.
If possible, downsizing your living space is an excellent way to lower
expenses. Many active adult communities in Valencia, Florida have perfectly
sized homes with monthly fees to maintain the community. Living in a smaller
home will allow you to save on utilities, maintenance, mortgage, and much more.
You can also consider moving to a tax
friendly state, which can potentially allow you to reduce taxes on real estate
and income, including investment income. Moving locations also allows for a new
start in this new chapter of your 55 plus life. You can find an active adult
community that offers social clubs, activities, and community amenities that
promote active lifestyles. If you find an adult community that has it all, you
may be able to get by without a vehicle and be able to save even more money.
·
Cooking
at Home. With proper planning ahead and shopping wisely, making the switch
to cooking at home can greatly reduce your monthly food budget. If you
regularly plan your meals, you can also cut down on trips to the grocery store,
which will save on gas or transportation and will also cut down on your monthly
bills.
Be sure to keep an eye out for sales and
then purchase items in bulk in order to save money. However, this often does
not work for perishable items if you do not use them fast enough. Make a
shopping list and stick to it, and take inventory of your pantry and
refrigerator to avoid over-buying or duplicate purchases. Lastly, set aside a
day for cooking batches and freeze meals in single serving portions.
·
Keep
track of Senior Discounts and Prescription Costs. The Valencia active adult
community realtor knows that the easiest way to save money is through senior
discounts. AARP offers a prescription discount card for all of their members.
These cards can help you save almost 40% off prescription medications
regardless of health or age status.
AARP also wants their members to be aware
that a variety of merchants have regular senior discount programs. There are
clothing shops, local gyms, utility companies, service repair shops, and hair
salons that provide special discounts tot AARP members.
·
Find Free
or Low Cost Entertainment. You do not have to pay full price to go out and
have fun as an active adult and 55 plus citizen. AARP sometimes offers
discounts to baseball games, movie theaters, opera shows, or Broadway-style
Theater. Many other local attractions also offer discounts to visiting seniors;
including the zoo, local museums, or botanical gardens.
If you have also made the move to an active
adult community in Valencia, there may be activities and social clubs that
you can become involved in that is included in your HOA fees and is no extra
cost.
