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At Aging Well Advocates, we know saving money as a senior has never been easy. However, if you are willing to make a few changes to your lifestyle, you can live your best life without having to sacrifice niceties for necessities. Small actions, such as downsizing your home and looking for discounts you are already entitled to, can add up to huge savings each time. When you are on a fixed income, you can't afford to let go of any dollar you don’t have to.    

Discounts for veterans 

Veterans are deserving and entitled to hundreds of discounts, and you might not know about all of them. If you/your spouse served in the military, be are aware of which companies offer special pricing with a military ID. Deal News lists more than 150 stores, sites, and services honoring our nation’s active and former military men/women with hefty discounts. A few of the best programs offer discounted rates and cabin upgrades on Carnival Cruise Lines, $60 savings for Costco memberships, as well as bonus cash and discounted leases and purchases on General Motors vehicles.    

Searching for dollars  

Even if you are not a veteran, plenty of ways to save money and get the most out of your monthly budget. To start, take an inventory of the services you pay for. Car insurance is one example. Talk to your provider about senior discounts, or consider shopping around for a new policy. Compare prices and pay careful attention to potential discounts for having a safe driving record or an automobile alarm.   

You can also take stock of your living  space. Many seniors find that as they get older, they don’t need the house where they raised a family, and downsizing can be a budget-friendly choice.  A smaller home or condo will require less maintenance and upkeep, and if you have a fair amount of equity in your current home, you could sell and use your profit to buy a smaller place outright, eliminating the potential for a mortgage in retirement.    

Another way to access discounted services is through your Medicare plan. Many Medicare Advantage plans include fitness center memberships through Silver Sneakers free of cost. You might also be eligible for some lifestyle benefits, including transportation services like Veyo, which offers nonemergency medical transportation in case you need to get to a doctor's appointment but are not comfortable driving to a specific location.  

Spending to save  

Sometimes, it makes sense to spend a bit of money when you are trying to save. One idea is to bring in a senior caregiver a few hours each week. Care.com estimates the cost as little as $13.25 per hour. If you live in a rural area, it may be even less. Bring in someone a few hours each week to do things like tidy up, prepare meals, and organize your medications. This assistance can improve your health and budget by limiting the amount of take-out food you eat, ensuring you take your medications correctly and on time, and giving you a safe and clean home to enjoy.  Alternatively, if you don’t need care now but want to look to the future, it’s a good idea to work with an Aging Life Care Manager from Aging Well Advocates.  One of their experts in the field of aging can help you determine current/future care needs, as well as help organize and solidify legal or financial needs for later in life.    

Earn On Your Terms  

Saving is one thing, but if you find the need to supplement, you’ll want to do that on your terms now that you are retired. Enter the gig economy. If you’re unfamiliar with this term, it simply means the act of working only when you want to work. There are many ways to do this, from freelancing to signing up for flexible shift work during the hours that you are available. Even if you only earn an extra few hundred dollars each month, that’s money in the bank that you can use for whatever you need.  When combined, your savings and earnings can help you pay for assisted living later down the road. This is an important thing to consider since Medicare doesn’t cover it, and you will most likely have to pay out-of-pocket.    

ONE LAST PIECE OF ADVICE!  

If you’ve adapted to the Internet Age, the web offers many tools that can help you keep your budget on track. Handling your banking transactions online, for instance, saves you from spending gas driving to the bank and gives you access to your financial information on-demand 24/7. You can also grocery shop, make telephone calls, and even find free movies and TV all from the convenience of your computer or smart device.  Living on a budget does not mean you have to put aside the most important aspects of your life. You can still have money to do the things you love if you’ll take preemptive steps to lower your everyday expenses.