MIDLOTHIAN, Va. (WWBT) – Before Becky Minton retired in 2019, she worked for a major insurance company.
It allowed her and her late husband Pete to build a life for themselves in Brandermill, raising two children in their four-bedroom house.
“I found it to be quite affordable,” Minton said.
Since her husband’s passing seven years ago, Minton lives alone in that home with her dog.
Between Social Security and her pension, Minton has about $2,400 to live off of a month.
Becky Minton(WWBT)
While she admits that’s modest compared to other people, in this economy, it’s not getting her as far as she’d like.
“It is stressful with the prices seemingly no end to them going up. Like I said before, I am in a survival mode,” Minton said.
While she is grateful her home is paid off, her bills include car and long-term care insurance, gas, utilities and food.
Gas has gone up nearly 30 cents in Virginia in just one month, according to AAA.
She just paid a $1,000 utility bill from the winter.
The average grocery bill has gone up nearly 3% from this time last year.
“That’s a shock to the system. When you’re a senior, on a fixed income, you know, I can’t go out get a job. I don’t have the energy level to do that anymore to do that,” Minton said.
Inflation surged to 3.8 percent in April, the highest it’s been in three years.
Minton not only worries for working families but other seniors who may be living on less.
“I consider myself to be very fortunate, because I know that there are, Lord knows how many people there are out there that are truly in panic mode,” Minton said.
Minton says she’s learning to cope with this expensive reality but hopes the younger generations aren’t in the same situation when they’re her age.
“I wonder if they’ll have to spend their entire life worrying about once they get to their own senior hood and will they be prepared for it,” Minton said.
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