Cutting expenses to live well on Social Security

I held my first job when I was 12 years old babysitting for a family with seven children. I don't remember exactly, but I believe I got paid a dollar an hour to watch all those kids. I babysat other children afterwards. I wanted to work and earn money so badly. Back then my family was struggling and I needed to earn money to buy necessities, but also to help my family when I could. 

After getting a work permit, I got my first real job at a local department store working in their credit department as a bill collector. I wasn't cut out for that, but I worked hard at it and excelled.

I went on to have several careers I enjoyed very much, including working for 5 pediatricians, 2 chiropractors, one mega church, a hair salon, and a seminary. 

My favorite job of all didn't pay anything monetarily, but all the hugs and kisses I got from my four children made up for it. I loved being a mother! 

I retired in 2011 and haven't really known what to do since then. My husband retired year before last, and since then life has been drastically different. In the past we would take trips whenever we wanted and buy the things we needed with no problem. Now we're finding we have to watch our pennies. We plan our trips a year in advance saving so we can truly enjoy them as they come. Social Security doesn't provide enough to meet the cost of living these days. 

In an effort to reduce spending, I've started watching YouTube videos on frugality. I've also been remembering things from my childhood.  My mother was a very resourceful and thrifty person. I learned many valuable lessons from watching her. 

In one of the YouTube videos I watched recently, they recommended contacting your car insurance company to reduce rates, so I did it. After talking with our agent, she suggested raising our deductibles and taking a safe driving course online which would provide even more savings. I agreed to do all of those things not knowing the safe driving course would be 6 hours long. She told me I wouldn't have to complete the course in one sitting though and I was glad to hear that. 

This morning, after breakfast, I decided to begin the course. I assumed it would be quick and easy, that the 6 hours would fly by. Not so. As I've gone through the past 2 hours working on the test, I feel like I'm back in highschool taking Driver's Ed learning.

Thankfully this online course provides good videos. It does move quickly and if you don't pay attention, as each quiz comes, you might not get the correct answer. In order to complete the course and obtain your certificate, you must pass with at least 70% of the correct answers. I'm sure I can do that. The hard thing about this test is having to sit so long. There's no way I could do it for 6 hours straight. My plan is to break it up into 2 hour increments. I completed my first 2 hour testing today and have two more days to go.

Is it worth it? I think it will be. After pulling the numbers it looks like we'll save about $200 every 6 months on each of our vehicles. I think that's pretty good! I don't know what else I'll do this year to reduce expenses, but I imagine I'll do whatever I can. 

Being frugal, I'm learning, takes time, energy, and effort, but hey, if you can save a buck here and there, it's more money in your pocket, right? With the current economy, we all need to save and be careful with our spending. And I think it's always wise to have some side hustles like I do working as a freelance writer, selling my art, etc. 

Honestly I'm not complaining one bit! I like to be busy, always have. I guess I am the epitome of a type A personality and I'll own that with pride.

 

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