My mom also lives on social security (about 1000.00 per month) and a 90.00 pension check. I can't believe it is even called a pension check. She worked all of her life from the time she was 16 to her early 70s in shoe stores and department stores. Of course, it was not always full time.

Her rent is 575.00 a month. Plus she has to pay for her AARP supplemental insurance each month. She has pretty much gone through all of her meager savings since my dad died six years ago. Luckily she has 5 kids with decent jobs. We all send money each month. I send her 200.00 a month. I gave her a $50 dollar raise last fall when she did not get a cola increase. I wonder is she is expecting another raise.