Customer Reviews

Gracious Living on Social Security

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Valerie Kent has magically transformed a lot of "left-brained," practical financial and other priceless information into a delightful, informative, and imaginative "good read." It is also a healing balm for anxious souls during these times. The book is not only timely, but also one that is full of vivaciously presented advice any reader can start applying immediately. I cannot think of a thing that would serve to improve the book. Buy it! You will return to it time and again over the years!

Is it possible to survive on Social Security these days? How about more than just survive? Can you live graciously?

In her new book, "Gracious Living on Social Security", Valerie Kent brings you through her retirement years, starting from when she married her second husband, Rick, who is several years her junior.

As the prologue mentions, Kent didn't believe she lived graciously until a friend pointed out that even though they were on a limited, fixed income, Val and Rick still traveled and entertained often, living a life equal to those friends who were much better off. And so, "Gracious Living on Social Security" was born.

Within this slim book, the reader will learn how Valerie and Rick managed an affordable wedding, decided where to live, pulled their house together and how they juggle finances. Other topics include health, keeping the car on the road, being well dressed for the dollar, and how to travel well and inexpensively.

While I know this book is geared toward people in their golden years, I found much of this advice could apply to other age groups as well.

The illustrations provided by Jeff Nitzberg add the pefect light touch to this engaging story of how to live graciously on Social Security.

"Gracious Living on Social Security" by Valerie Kent is certainly a book that contains a great deal of advice all retirees could put to excellent use. It is also a wonderful story of how two older people who had been friends for a long time, got married, and now live a happy and fulfilling life.

This is a delightful book. While written for a specific purpose, it meets a number of different needs. First - and foremost, in my mind - Ms Kent recounts how she and her new husband meet the challenges of establishing a new life on a limited income. This story is written with humour and insight. This isn't just about living comfortably within the limits of the USA's social security system; it is also about setting realistic limits about what is possible.

As I read this book, the limitations imposed by income became secondary to decisions about priorities and realistic decisions about what is essential and what isn't. It is clear that while having sufficient money is important, the definition of sufficiency is not fixed.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to review the `real' cost of living as their income reduces. This couple, with good humour and common sense, shows each of us how to consider what constitutes necessary expenditure. Each chapter ends with a list of relevant `key considerations'. Whether you are organising a wedding, choosing a place to live, pulling together one household from two, considering health issues, looking well-dressed or more: this book describes one couple's journey and provides tips relevant to others.

I hope that Valerie and Richard enjoy many more years together.

Read this book, enjoy it, and learn from it!

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Valerie Kent writes wonderfully about her adventure filled life, and how that adventure was enhanced when she joined forces with and married Rick, a man with a big heart to match her own, and a joyous attitude that brings the best out of any situation. With their two Social Security incomes, they have discovered how to stretch every dollar. Valerie has lots of tips on how to travel, eat well, entertain, stay healthy, and have more fun while spending less.

The initial chapters describe how their penny wise wedding was a success, and then how they chose to live in St. Petersburg, Florida. Valerie gives us a list of things to look for when thinking of where to call home in one's Golden Years. Yard sales and thrift shop musts (always check those zippers!), the nuts and bolts of finances, health issues, travel and transportation needs are some of the other subjects tackled in this slim but informative volume. Also very helpful are the "Key Considerations" at the end of every chapter, and it includes some very amusing illustrations by Jeff Nitzberg.

Valerie's life has been a fascinating one, and the few glimpses she gives us of it are another reason this book is so readable. Now a youthful 88, Valerie shows us an inspiring enthusiasm and zest for life, and with her soul mate Rick, they make a vibrant, lovable pair. It's a pleasure to spend time with them reading this book, and learning from their experiences.

What an odd and unique little read this one was! It was absolutely delightful and I must admit to having enjoyed every work, cover to cover.
Now readers take note: This is not your everyday, run of the mill, roll your eyes back and basically useless self help book; no, no far from it! It is a unique blend of part memoir, neat little tips on how to get along without a gigantic bank account, common sense, humor, and most importantly a philosophy of life that is absolutely refreshing.

Valerie Kent has married a younger man! She was 75 years old and her husband Rick was a young whippersnapper of 61! Both had had previous marriages that did not work out so well and these two decided to spend their "golden years" together. As chance would have it, and it usually does, the previous marriages of both Valerie and Rick had left both, while not poverty stricken, certainly not rolling in the coin of the realm. They were married, and this is where the story begins...they were married on the cheap; but as the reader will find, in style!

This entire work is really the story of two people creating a very nice and rewarding life style for themselves on limited resources. The book is indeed crawling with little tips on how to save money; how to make do with what you have and how to stretch a dollar to its limit, but as I said, it is more about attitude than anything else. We receive wonderful little peeks into the lives of these two happy and remarkable people and the outlook on life is absolutely uplifting and inspiring.

While the book dose cover various areas of living life and how to manage them in an efficient manner; examples would be why they live where they live, well dressed for the dollar, keeping the car on the road, food and exercise, travel well and inexpensively, keeping romance alive, how we juggle our finances and much, much more, it covers these areas in a rather light hearted and extremely practical manner. Again, attitude, attitude, attitude! I found myself smiling quite frequently as I read though these pages. The author has a wonderful style which warms the heart.

Each chapter ends with a very nice little list of "Key Considerations" as to what has been discussed in the previous chapter. These are basic tips and food for thought. Please keep in mind that this is NOT a survival hand book for the elderly; it is a book for mature retired people that want to live a quality live which include as many of the trimmings as possible without going broke in doing so.

Always in her writing, Mrs. Kent has kept it extremely realistic. I am a bit of an expert on retirement, having done it three times already and am contemplating a fourth, and know from experience that reality is not always what has been speculated upon over ones life. The author has taken a very hard look at the realities of living on a fixed income, pulled no punches, but done it in a lighthearted manner that makes the lessons she is teaching go down much easier. Again, from experience, my own, I cannot find one bit of advice in this book that is not spot on! Now the Kent's life style and physical location is worlds apart from mine...I live pretty deep in the woods; but the principles addressed my Mrs. Kent are universal.

If you are retired, contemplating retirement or have family member who are, then this is a work you really need to take a close look at. It could quite well change your attitude toward many aspects of this period of life and could, in a very nice way, cause your approach to be oh so different, in a positive way.

Life is simply full of challenges and those challenges do not go away with age. This is a nifty little tool to help meet some of those challenges and do it is a rather fun way.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Ms. Kent has a lively way of telling a story so that the meaning is clear and easy to follow. A totally enjoyable book. You will treasure its secrets to retirement living.

What an odd and unique little read this one was! It was absolutely delightful and I must admit to having enjoyed every work, cover to cover.
Now readers take note: This is not your everyday, run of the mill, roll your eyes back and basically useless self help book; no, no far from it! It is a unique blend of part memoir, neat little tips on how to get along without a gigantic bank account, common sense, humor, and most importantly a philosophy of life that is absolutely refreshing.

Valerie Kent has married a younger man! She was 75 years old and her husband Rick was a young whippersnapper of 61! Both had had previous marriages that did not work out so well and these two decided to spend their "golden years" together. As chance would have it, and it usually does, the previous marriages of both Valerie and Rick had left both, while not poverty stricken, certainly not rolling in the coin of the realm. They were married, and this is where the story begins...they were married on the cheap; but as the reader will find, in style!

This entire work is really the story of two people creating a very nice and rewarding life style for themselves on limited resources. The book is indeed crawling with little tips on how to save money; how to make do with what you have and how to stretch a dollar to its limit, but as I said, it is more about attitude than anything else. We receive wonderful little peeks into the lives of these two happy and remarkable people and the outlook on life is absolutely uplifting and inspiring.

While the book dose cover various areas of living life and how to manage them in an efficient manner; examples would be why they live where they live, well dressed for the dollar, keeping the car on the road, food and exercise, travel well and inexpensively, keeping romance alive, how we juggle our finances and much, much more, it covers these areas in a rather light hearted and extremely practical manner. Again, attitude, attitude, attitude! I found myself smiling quite frequently as I read though these pages. The author has a wonderful style which warms the heart.

Each chapter ends with a very nice little list of "Key Considerations" as to what has been discussed in the previous chapter. These are basic tips and food for thought. Please keep in mind that this is NOT a survival hand book for the elderly; it is a book for mature retired people that want to live a quality live which include as many of the trimmings as possible without going broke in doing so.

Always in her writing, Mrs. Kent has kept it extremely realistic. I am a bit of an expert on retirement, having done it three times already and am contemplating a fourth, and know from experience that reality is not always what has been speculated upon over ones life. The author has taken a very hard look at the realities of living on a fixed income, pulled no punches, but done it in a lighthearted manner that makes the lessons she is teaching go down much easier. Again, from experience, my own, I cannot find one bit of advice in this book that is not spot on! Now the Kent's life style and physical location is worlds apart from mine...I live pretty deep in the woods; but the principles addressed my Mrs. Kent are universal.

If you are retired, contemplating retirement or have family member who are, then this is a work you really need to take a close look at. It could quite well change your attitude toward many aspects of this period of life and could, in a very nice way, cause your approach to be oh so different, in a positive way.

Life is simply full of challenges and those challenges do not go away with age. This is a nifty little tool to help meet some of those challenges and do it is a rather fun way.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

GRACIOUS LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY couldn't have arrived at a better time! Just when the financial rust of the recession is taking the expectations of enjoying the retirement years, up pops Valerie Kent with a book that is a love story on several levels: 75 year old Valerie and 61 year old Rick decided to marry despite incomes limited to Social Security and how they managed to not only afford a ceremony, but also how love and mutual respect for reality lead them to a life of fulfillment far beyond their expectations by applying the information shared in this book. This is a book of lives fully lived related in wise, wry, entertaining and very educational fashion.

Kent writes with a pithy style that makes reading this book not only valuable but also exceptionally entertaining. After describing how a wedding can be staged with ingenuity in greater supply than money, she discusses how to combine households, how to select a place to live that is within means yet full of gracious living possibilities, finding the important aspects of health care both in accessibility and in management, using the thrift shops and garage sales to get the best bargains for the best clothes and household needs, the challenge of the automobile and how to conquer it, choosing friends, planning inexpensive but exciting travel, and how to sustain a high level of excitement in a love relationship that continues to grow without the hassles of worrying about financial security.

The book is lightened with cartons that keep a topic that has the potential of being threatening light and full of smiles. This is not a self help book in the usual use of that term, but instead this is a guide book on how to survive after the age that we all have been promised will be our Golden Years. Read it and relax! Grady Harp, July 09

I ordered this book for my Kindle. It won't play on my Kindle or my computer. Can't seem to figure out how to get my money back!!! U rated it a one star because I had to choose one, but I've not yet seen the content. Help!!!