After retirement, senior citizens spend around $3,800 per month. Even with a home with no mortgage, there are often property taxes, heating/cooling costs, water bills, and utilities to consider. Medical care and health insurance, dental care and insurance, car expenses, and groceries add to monthly expenses.
When it’s time to arrange elder care services for your parents, it may seem difficult adding another expense to an already tight budget. Here are six ways to make this balance a little easier.
Go Over Expenses and Look for Ways to Trim Them
Go over your parents’ expenses and see what can be trimmed. If your parents don’t bundle home and auto insurance, they could save a lot of money doing so. If they have cell phones and a landline but never use the landline, they’ll save money getting rid of it.
Other bills to look at include cable TV, newspaper delivery, and heating fuel. If they have fuel delivered, they may get a better rate by joining a co-op or switching providers. Talk to their town, too. Some areas discount property taxes when you turn 65.
Stop Splurge Purchases
In retirement, your parents deserve to enjoy themselves. If they are spending a lot of money on splurges, they need to look at what to cut. If they go out to eat every night, they’re wasting money. They could have a caregiver come to their home and cook meals if they hate cooking.
Are they eating out because it’s hard to shop for groceries for just the two of them? When your parents buy groceries and throw them away, it’s also a waste of money.
If they like to cook but struggle with portions now that they live alone, a meal service like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron can help with portioning. Plus, the groceries they need are delivered right to the home. Some grocery stores partner with services like this and sell the kits right in the store.
Help Them With Care
They do not need to hire elder care aides all day, every day. With the help of grandchildren and children, your parents could have elder care services one or two days a week and rely on others the rest of the time.
Sit down and discuss the help your parents need. Then, look at your schedules and see who is free during the week and on weekends to help with those tasks. You’ll pair family caregiving with professional elder care to ensure they’re never alone and struggling.
If you or a family member are in need of hiring Elder Care in Boca Raton, FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Lighthouse Point, and Wilton Manors.
Sources:
Marketwatch.com
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