If you have done the same thing for 14 years you probably have a decent nest egg if that job pays 300,000 per year. I think there is a world of differen living on 30000 knowing you have 500000 in the bank and living on 30000 knowing there is no more money until the next check is earned. The former is like camping when you have a nice home to return to, it can be fun. The latter is like being one step away from being homeless and knowing there is no cushion As fot the realities, living paycheck to paycheck is that for people in many parts of North America. Depends how expensive where you live is. If you do not have to factor in or live where the following are cheap it is a lot easier, These costs vary a lot by area. a mortgage, property taxes, energy related utilities (whose rates do vary), car insurance as well as food costs. Living in a cheap area it is possible to live well on 40k. In a big city or near it I do not believe it is as easy. In the suburbs of NY it would be very difficult if you also had housing costs. You would live paycheck to paycheck simply because there would not be enough money no matter how disciplined you were Glad you decided to keep the credit cards. There is just no way to rent a car otherwise. If the LOC has a good rate I would keep it too nothing says you have to use it. If it has an annual fee cancel it. We have been paying our cards in full every month. I always have, never ever paid interest (to the extent the check got there a day late I always have the fees waived) that I can remember. DH was instructed from the day we got married 15 years ago not to even think of carrying a balance and he has been good. He self employed and the credit card has been a fabulous cash management tool plus the rebate or miles you get are great. In our case we have taken a family of 5 to Jamaica, gone to Hawaii and a Florida using his miles. Of course it is paid off in full. I do agree with the poster that said they tend to lose track of cash faster. I know I do that and will often spend it (we are not currently at a stage where we have to worry about every penny) without thinking. However, when I am down to only a little cash (because I have not gone to the bank not because our account is low) I tend to conserve it a little more because I do not have time to go to the bank and because I feel ridiculous charging 1.50 pack of gum. It was recently explained to me that for certiab credit cards merchants are charged a service fee in addition to a percentage One thing that I did when we were house poor many years ago, but I had lots of time. I would often buy things and then return them because I found somehting better or just did not love them. I called this bulemic shopping! It was unintentional but it was a great way of getting the thrill of shopping without actually having to pay. My monthly credit card statement often had more things in the return column than the buy. I do agree with the advice to stay out of stores in general. you do not sound like someone who bought 100 sneakers even when you can afford them so I think you will do just fine with payless. I personally think it will get more difficult a year from now. I think at first the thrill and novelty of sticking to a budget will be a sort of game. Beating your budget will be fun. Then the joy of living near family. However after a certain time, while some habits will become second nature (I rarely spend more than 20 on a non work item of clothing and it is not because I cannot afford it, I just think it is a waste) it will sometimes get tedious having to worry about the cost of items, never splurging. I think your 40s are a point when you want to be established and financially secure and occassionally treat yourself or your children to small luxuries. What that is differs from person to person. I know that as I have matured, I no longer get as crazy about wasting or saving 20 as I would have a few years ago. For example, when we got married I returned everything that I did not absolutely love. When we had kids I did the same thing with gift items they received, especially if it was an expensive useless item, I would exchane it for something practical. Same for birthday parties. Now I rarely can be bothered returning items that do not have receipts, whether from kids birthday parties (we recently had a party and whatever my kids do not want I will donate) or other events, I just cannot be bothered. Just an example, you will find differnet ways that you may want to become less thrifty

We goto Dinner Done!!!! We do this as a couple and I go when my wife is away, so it does work for a single person!! Each month they have around 14 meal selections. At each station is a meal. Everything u need to make the meal is at that station. All cut up, fat trimmed off, correct measurement spoons in spices, super easy, no clean up!!!! Everythin gincluding the storage containers is there, included in the price!! Of course there are other companies that do this, we have just used this one!! And you can put how many servings into a package!! So its very convenient, and healthy!! Most are straight from the freezer to the oven!! as well its a great place to meet other people. A chicken breast meal, comes with 4 to 6 chicken breats. Each meal is suppose to feed bewtween 4 to 6 people. A minimum ordfer is 8 meal selections, and each meal gives 4 to 6 servings, so close to 48 single meals!!! Belive it works out to just over $3 a serving. We love it, makes suppers so much more relaxing, get to meet new people, and no clean up,lol. I have heard some of these companies do singles events!! Here is a link that might be useful: Dinner Done

In this day and age, I think we all will be under a caretaker at some point, for some length of time. No matter what you do to prepare, some of us, especially those with health challenges - such as yours, will have to go through this. I remember my Mom trying to prepare my sister and myself for the eventual mind-blowing red-tape,etc, after her passing. She sought much advice but that did not protect us. It was awful, because of the jurisdiction where she passed (and not where she lived). We had no idea that her health would end up as it did - breast cancer, then in the bone/liver. Before we could change things, the calcium in her brain from the cancer had us trying to get her to at least mark an "X", for her signature. Then, she went quickly - the Dr. didn't even know she had reached end-stage to quickly. So, no matter what we do, even if we have the money to try to make it work, it is a hopeless situation. The worst thing about getting old is the care that we can get. The US healthcare system is inexcusable!! The system is antiquated, the workers are not compensated adequately, and the type of care just is not therapeutic. They give you just enough drugs, to keep you "comfortable", but not kill you, until you are so weak that you just die! I'm watching that with a friend's relative, and she's not even sick enough to be classified as dying anytime soon! She is just immobile and in a lot of pain. They give her morphine and do nothing else. She now gets a nurse and an aid at home, but they are useless because they live in the boonies and it's difficult to get there at a decent hour because of horrid rush-hour traffic. The family is trying to do things - a tremendous workload, but they are not professionals with the knowledge and skills to do things the right way. She needs to see a Dr to be reassessed - but do ya think the nurses or aids have mentioned that!!! Anyway,I think the best way to protect ourselves is to maintain our nourishment ( and not just the food intake and ond-a-days). Minerals are important for nourishment. That's not to say that this will prevent the caretaker syndrome, but at least our minds will be a lot stronger, which in turn will help the physical aspects of aging.

Olychick, since when is expecting adult children to check on an elderly parent such a burden to the children? When were they at one time not a "burden" to the parent, too? For many, many years! In fact, no mother on earth ever quits worrying about her children, regardless of their age. I am speechless. I'm not talking about coming daily to give meds or baths or other personal care (although I have had many friends who did do this for a parent in the past). A daily check-in phone call will take far less time than these same adult children undoubtedly spend on social media. It's a very strange world to me where children feel they should be relieved of all responsibility for an aging parent short of putting them in a home or hiring outside help. I am quite capable of taking my many meds, bathing myself and getting dressed. I also pay my bills - nothing wrong with my brain at all. But it would be nice to be checked on regularly to be sure I'm okay. Frankly, I'm far less worried about falling and dying than I am about how long it might be before it's realized I'm MIA and someone needs to check...for the sake of my TWO DOGS!