For any retiree in the United States, choosing a place to spend retirement can be a difficult task. That’s because you have to keep your expenses under control because your Social Security income tends to be lower. It is not possible to have the same life on a retirement benefit as on a working salary. The standard of living tends to go down, so there are times when it is better to change housing.

The personal situation of each Social Security retiree is key to determine if we really have to move. In any case, there are many retirees who want to move for personal reasons. Not all reasons have to be financial. For example, a person may want to live near the beach, so it may be a good idea to look for the best place to do so.

Our purchasing power while collecting Social Security is the key to living with peace of mind in retirement. For that reason, moving might be a good idea. Even so, you should study your case calmly and slowly, since doing things lightly is never a good idea. This is especially true when we are talking about a decision that will change your life completely.

Moving and collecting Social Security

If you are thinking of moving after you start collecting your Social Security retirement benefit, you may well need to know several details before making any moves. Keep the following points in mind if you want to make a move with only Social Security.

Do you really know the city?

Moving to a new city requires knowing the terrain. If you haven’t met the city you want to move to, it is advisable to visit it beforehand. The advantage of doing this during retirement is that you will have plenty of free time to check out the lay of the land before making your decision.

Is your Social Security check enough?

It’s not just the price of renting your home that needs to be taken into account. Other expenses such as electricity and gas bills are important. Also consider the price of the grocery store in your new location. Check that your monthly SSA check is enough to live well in the new city.

Is your current house already paid for?

If you were renting, moving may be a good option, since you won’t have to pay any more rent on the old house. A different case is for people who still have a mortgage. In this case, it is much better to stay in the current house, since you will have to keep making payments on it. Social Security checks are not big enough to pay mortgage and rent at the same time.