How Much Do Retirees Spend Every Month?
Here are some key findings from the report:
- About half of retirees (48%) reported spending less than $2,000 a month compared to the year 2020 when 42% said they spent that much. One in three (33%) said they spend between $2,000 and $3,999 monthly.
- About four in five (79%) said they try to stick with a monthly spending plan, while 8% reported that they don’t do so.
- On average, retirees reported that nearly a third of their monthly income goes toward housing expenses, with food being the second-largest expenditure.
Conducted during the summer of 2022, the survey contains answers from almost 2,000 U.S. retirees between the ages of 62 and 75. They were asked to explain how their spending patterns and retirement plans have changed over the past 22 years.
Here’s a look at average retirement costs every month, according to the EBRI survey.
Retirees’ Average Monthly Spending by Expenses
Where the money goes:
Housing 30% – food 25% – transportation 12% – medical and health insurance premiums 8% – entertainment 8% – clothing 7% other 6% – out of pocket medical costs 5%
Source, Clark.com
We can’t control what others do and we can’t stop misfortune from striking. But we can control our own actions. Those who are financially prudent will most likely enjoy success, even if events don’t always go their way.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
So many variables to consider, but if you’re retired, own your home and vehicles outright, do not have other debt or kids at home, $2000/mo is possible but still a stretch when insurance(s), property taxes, and a vacation is figured in.
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Where in this country can you live comfortably on $2000 a month?
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You can’t live comfortably but you can live on 2k per month in areas of the South and Midwest. People who live on social security exclusively have been doing it for years.
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Marty – Montana, kind of before car purchase in Oct 2022
Monthly retirement income – $3,602
Own 1983 mobile home – Lot rent $489 includes Water / Sewer and trash pu. Hydro Electric and Natural Gas $100, Cell Phone, Home Phone & Internet $80, Streaming services $40, Food $500, Insurance $480, Car Payment $518, Tags $35, Fuel $80 – I have paid $6,500 on car loan The first four months, 48 month loan will be paid off in 24 months.
Total $2,332. $1,804 w/o car payment. No state sales tax, No property tax, No Federal income tax, $23 State income tax 2021, Montana exempts $4,400 of my Military pension and there is a new state bill that if passed will exempt 50%. $12,204. $3,602 – $2,332 = $1,270. I also have $18,651.96 in US I-Bonds, my emergency fund. I earned over $500 last year on credit card cash back. I pay credit cards each month, so that I never pay an interest charge and have 4 cards with zero interest until Dec 2023 and they will be paid in full before interest can be charged. I love using the Banksters money. At age 67 I now have more discretionary income than ever before.
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Although all surveys are to be taken with a grain of salt, this one is more reasonable than most. Housing and food are the big ticket items for lower income groups along with transportation. Seems like a lot of older folks are living on the edge though when looking at total monthly spending.
This is a wake up for younger people to start accumulating some assets now instead of waiting for all those lottery tickets to pay off.
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