HOW TO SURVIVE ON $15,000 A YEAR

"Please write an article telling people with less than $15,000 a year of retirement income how they are supposed to survive." -- R.S., by e-mail

Millions of people face this predicament. According to the Social Security Administration, Social Security benefits account for 90 percent of income for four of every 10 unmarried retirees and two of every 10 married couples.

Another report on the Social Security Web site tells us that the average Social Security benefit for a retired worker is now $1,082.30 a month. That's before the Medicare part B premium of $96.40.

The solution here isn't more money or another government program.

The solution is social. It is called sharing -- having enough social skill to multiply your effective income to a level far greater than it could be made with ordinary cash.

One of the benefits of the last 50 years ...