Cost of Living 2024

The cost of living in 2024 is expected to increase by 3.2% for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries, according to the Social Security Administration1 This means that the average monthly benefit for retired workers will rise from $1,657 in 2023 to $1,711 in 2024

The cost of living adjustment (COLA) is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the previous year to the third quarter of the current year. The CPI-W measures the average change in the prices of goods and services purchased by urban workers

The cost of living can also vary depending on the location, lifestyle, and needs of each individual. Some of the factors that affect the cost of living are housing, food, transportation, health care, taxes, and entertainment

If you want to compare the cost of living between different cities or regions, you can use online calculators that take into account various expenses and income sources. For example, you can use the calculator from NerdWallet 4 or the one from Bankrate  to see how much you would need to earn or save to maintain your standard of living in a different place.

Doctors say no time better than now to get vaccinated

NEW YORK -- If it feels like you know a lot of people who are home sick, it is not your imagination. 

Health officials say there has been a surge of flu cases, and it has come with many people suffering from COVID-19 and RSV.

The flu can be deadly to adults and children. For one family, tragedy struck two decades ago, but the pain is still there, and they want people to know just how important vaccines are.

"We've never thought that something like this could happen to us," said Alissa Kanowitz of Scarsdale.

READ MORE: In new effort to reset flu shot expectations, CDC to avoid messages that "could be seen as a scare tactic"   

Kanowitz knows all too well how dangerous the flu can be because she suffered the ultimate pain. In 2004, she lost her 4-year-old daughter, Amanda.

"Amanda was a happy, healthy little girl. She was that giggle girl. She loves pink and purple. She loved her dolls," Kanowitz said.

But it all happened so quickly, over 48 hours. Amanda never even had a fever higher than 102, and the doctor just said to keep her hydrated.

"So I went into Amanda's room at 3:30 in the morning to check on her and I gave her a hug and a kiss. And then, three hours later, I found her lifeless in her bed," Kanowitz said. 

Kanowitz decided to make it her life's mission to get people vaccinated for the flu. "If it happened to us, it can happen to anyone," she said.

The Health Department says flu cases surged 27% statewide last week. New Yorkers that spoke to CBS New York said that's incentive enough for them to get vaccinated.

"There's a high rise in cases, COVID, as well as the respiratory virus, so why not protect yourself?" said Sherry Hudson of the Upper West Side.

"I had the flu two years in a row. I lived in the dorms in college and it was like a petri dish. So now you get it every year," said Marissa Sosin of Randolph, New Jersey.

READ MORE: Doctors cautioning parents, children of potential flu-COVID-RSV combo during holiday season

And this comes with COVID and RSV also making a comeback, making it hard for patients to tell them apart.  "They all can have fever, you know, a temperature of 100.4 or higher. They can all have cough, muscle aches, sore throat, you know. You can feel a fatigue, headache," said Dr. Purvi Parikh of the Allergy & Asthma Network.

So Parikh says testing, whether at home for COVID or at urgent care, is crucial, and if you want to avoid getting sick, get a vaccine. But remember, they take about two weeks to be effective.

"So let's say you're planning on traveling, and, you know, being with, you know, people in your family, who might be at risk of getting very sick from these things, and you should be getting your vaccines now," Parikh said.  Doctors also say flu shots can be important for pregnant women.

"We have really excellent data that clearly indicate that moms who don't get vaccinated have a much higher chance of getting sicker or possibly miscarrying from influenza," said Dr. Mary Koslap-Petraco, a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook University School of Nursing.

If you've got respiratory issues, it's always important to be checked by your doctor. There have been no reported pediatric deaths this week or this season.

Your A White American?

You see all these articles, about "What it means to be Black", "What it means to grow up in a Ghetto".  Then there's the other articles that leave out what it means to be "White" in America.  I'm sure this will stir up some strife where I'm concerned, but hell, tell it like it is!
Being white in America, means you are the last one to get a decent job.  It means you get left out when other "races" get special treatments.  It means you work for the other people while your children are doing without.  You are expected to be legal in every aspect and the other's get what you can't.  Their not legal, and most of them don't have jobs.  They are drawing the money that we are paying into the government while we get nothing.  I'm wondering how the middle class can carry such a heavy weight?  Where do you see being "white" an asset, when it comes to living around people who don't respect the fact that you work, pay taxes and they don't?  Do you consider it fair to work your whole life and not have anything to show for?
That's what's happening to the "white's" in America!  Their being left out of what is rightfully theirs!
The dope dealers don't care!  They drive around in their nice expensive vehicles, live in big fancy homes and still draw welfare off the government.  Just go to your county hospital's and have a look at the long lines.  Go to your "Human Resources" offices or your Social Security offices and see what the "white's" see.  Even more so, go to your Post Office's on Friday's and Saturday's and see the lines sending money out of the country.  A certain large grocery/department store chain even gives them the benefit's of sending money out of the country.
Maybe, I'm being a bit hard core, but facts are facts and we are the one's suffering.  Don't even think about what the elderly go through!  That's another story!

Old School American's

Buy Reviews
 It's become increasingly difficult for people who have been born and raised here in America, to put up with the insulting crap that these illegal aliens and foreign visitor's push on us.  Our government is letting us be offended by racial and downgrading actions against it's real people.  Why do we have to push "1" for English?  Why, can't our government offices have religious decor at Christmas?  Why are our children not allowed to pray in school, if they want to?  Why, are they being taught to observe other religion's when ours are forbidden?  Why does it offend Muslim's and we have to worry about what we say or do around them?  They are in our country............when in Rome.......do as the Romans do!  End of discussion!  Your in America, learn English, follow our laws.........don't try to change us!  We were here first!

Cost of Living Adjustment 1.7%

Social Security going up 1.7% next year........

Very True

It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If the government gives benefits to 'illegal' aliens who have never contributed, where does
that leave those of us who have paid into Social Security all our working
lives?

Values?

The values......principals?

Wage Increase?

If the law makers ever come to an agreement, it seems we may be able to get a small increase in our checks.  I'm speaking for the many people who live on SS and disability year round.  They are telling us it that the "cost of living" percentage will be one of the lowest given to us.  I'm also sure that Medicare will go up just to take part of it back.  What do you think?

Elections 2012

Hallmark Holiday

Contributed by Milford Woods
When I was looking online to Shop electricity rates TEXAS, I was blown away by all of the hype that Valentine’s Day receives. My husband and I have never been huge fans of this pretend holiday. I think it is a little silly to have one day designed as a day to tell others how much they mean to you. Shouldn’t we be doing this every day? It is sad that we need to invent a holiday for the reminder. What is even more shocking now that I had kids, is how hyped up this holiday is at school. We never used to do much more for this day than pass out cards to one another. Now, Valentine’s Day is as big of a production as Christmas and the end-of-the-year party. And don’t make any mistake- gone are the days where a simple card is enough to pass out to classmates. Now we must attach to the card candy, pencils, and stickers or tattoos. My oldest daughter came home upset because she said that she was the only one in class who “just had Valentine’s cards.” Every other child had also handed out packages of candy, cookies, and even gift cards to a fast-food restaurant. I felt bad that my daughter felt left out, but I really felt angry that such a spectacle has been made out of this day.

Elderly Suffer........

Here in the DFW area, it’s getting to the point that elderly people can’t go to the grocery store and come home to put up their groceries. Criminals are following them home and when they pull up into their driveways or garages, these idiots attack them as they are trying to get out of their cars. They also ring their door bells, and when the door is answered, shove their way inside and attack the people. The elderly are having a bad enough time surviving in today’s world and then you have the uncaring criminals taking from them because they are too feeble to fight back. There’s nothing left that’s sacred anymore. These are people, who need to be protected, just like the children. I’m worried what will become of us all, with the way the economy is getting.

Now It Begins....

Rep. Steve King., R-Iowa, holds a copy of the health care bill over his head after a rally against the health care bill on Capitol Hill in Washington Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.

A supporter holds a sign during a rally against the health care overhaul bill on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., left, and Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, pick up a copy of the house health care bill HB-3962 after they took it up the steps to the House after a rally against the health care bill on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.

Possible Second Stimulus........

Obama called on Congress Wednesday to approve the second round of stimulus payments, and several key lawmakers said they would. "This additional assistance will be especially important in the coming months, as countless seniors and others have seen their retirement accounts and home values decline as a result of this economic crisis," Obama said in a statement. The $250 payments would go to Social Security recipients as well as those receiving veterans or disability benefits, railroad retirees, and retired public employees who don't receive Social Security. Recipients would be limited to one payment, even if they qualified for more.
There will be no cost of living increase for more than 50 million Social Security recipients next year, the first year without a raise since automatic adjustments were adopted in 1975, the government announced Thursday. Cost of living adjustments are pegged to inflation, which is negative this year because of lower energy costs. Social Security recipients shouldn't get a raise next year because their purchasing power has already increased with falling consumer prices.