Senior News Line: It’s the little expenses that add up

“But it’s only” is a phrase I’ve come to dislike. It always involves money and people who don’t understand living on reduced income.

“But it’s only $20 a month,” said the one who was signing up for the new program at the rec center and trying to convince others to do the same.

“But it’s only an extra $50 a month,” said the one who was purchasing a package of extra TV cable channels and encouraging the rest of us to do the same.

“But it’s only…,” said the one who happily signed up for a yearlong membership at a certain big box warehouse, until we stopped her in mid-phrase.

“But it’s only” tends to add up when we calculate all the additional expenses that have come as a result of the increase in prices of, well, everything: rent, electricity, food, clothing, car insurance, movie tickets, prescription drugs, telephone service, pet food and veterinary care.

Seniors on limited income do the mental math each and every time they hear that phrase and consider the extra expense.

When they add the new number to the previous number, they come to the reality: They will not make it through the month if they add new X to the previous total Y, because the increased total Z doesn’t exist.

Here are two ways I’ve managed to shave some dollars off the amount that goes out each month.

The car insurance company gave me a hefty discount when I inquired about combining auto and homeowners insurance under one umbrella.

The savings really added up, even though it meant leaving a company I’d been with for decades that did not offer a seniors discount.

I contacted every company I deal with, and three of them offer seniors discounts, which I’d never suspected. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.