Once again I’ve been startled to see how long it’s been since I last posted. Life has gotten in the way of regular writing, especially since I had already been slacking.
Specifically:
DF’s mom died in hospice recently, which was painful but a blessing in its own way: She’d taken a fall, after which she never got out of bed again. He was there almost every day, even though she was often unconscious during his visits. DF sat by her bedside, reading aloud or sometimes softly singing. Sometimes she knew he was there and would respond to his presence. When she was awake, he’d brush her hair or try to get her to sip some Ensure or at least some water.
This was the end of an 18-month journey, starting with needing to convince her to move to assisted living because she was no longer safe on her own. (She’d been scammed by phone and in person.) To do that, he had to tour existing facilities, furnish the apartment and get her settled, and prepare her house to be sold (which meant dealing with decades’ worth of art and supplies and furniture and such).
He made endless phone calls to untangle the labyrinth called “paying for assisted living”: His mom had an excellent long-term care policy (bless those state job benefits!), but getting it activated took reams of paperwork. The stress was nonstop, but he never complained.
There wasn’t much I could do, except be here for him. I’ve focused on being as present as possible, and to pick up the slack at home.
When I was home, that is.
A new gig
The freelance market is tottering due to AI and algorithms. Clients are disappearing, assignments are fewer and further between. Figured that was fine for me since I was nearing the end of my working life anyway: I’d write when I could and enjoy life the rest of the time.
After months of relative sloth, I started having the bag lady dream again. To quiet my inner alarmist, I took a retail job in early December – and I’m still there. After a couple of months of nearly full-time schedules, they’ve finally gotten me down to my desired 20 or so hours per week of cashiering.
Am I earning a fortune? Of course not. This is retail, remember? But it’s a steady income, and has some decent perks:
Retirement matching. The company matches up to 5% of what I put in.
Employee discount. The job is at a regional big-box store* that sells food, clothing, toys, shoes, home improvement items, and just about anything else you could want. I get a 10% discount on any of a couple of dozen store brands, and I can stack this with my senior discount. Sometimes we’re offered additional discounts; for example, I paid $86 for three pairs of Skechers shoes that are so comfortable I want to wear them to bed. (Shoes with good support are essential in this line of work.)
Proximity to deals. I’m there several times a week, which means more chances to find good prices – and, sometimes, to make them even cheaper with those discounts. A few examples: a pound of ground beef, $1.20; milk, 40 cents per half-gallon; kettle corn** drizzled with dark chocolate, 57 cents; 18 cage-free eggs, 90 cents. After the holidays, I went home with 29 boxes of Stove Top stuffing mix for a dime apiece; some went to friends and the rest to the food bank.
Nice people. Supervisors and co-workers were patient with my first-month jitters working in the “front end” of the store. (Hint: It had been 50 years since I worked retail. The cash registers have changed since then.) It’s hectic, but I feel that colleagues have my back. And I have theirs; I’ve given people rides*** home and bought food**** for a co-worker when she couldn’t find her debit card.
Human connection. Being a freelancer is isolating. Connecting with customers has been fun. People tend to bond over food; many a conversation has begun with me saying, “I’ve never cooked with (item they’re buying).” Customers love telling me how a dish is prepared and what it tastes like. I’m also getting a good look at shoppers’ anxiety over $10-a-pound chubs of 73% ground beef, which explains the amount of pasta coming over the conveyor belt.
The bag lady dream
Twenty years ago I published my first guest column on MSN Money. “Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year” went viral before the phrase existed. It led to other guest pieces and ultimately to my starting the Smart Spending blog (later morphing into the Frugal Nation site) for MSN.
When I finally got my college degree in 2009, I wrote about deciding not to look for a square job. Freelancing paid the bills, re-established the financial safety net lost during the protracted divorce, and bolstered my retirement savings. It was the perfect gig for me: Work when I wanted, writing about topics that interested me and helped others.
It was great, until it wasn’t.
Understand: Those bag lady dreams are driven by anxiety. Thanks to careful living, I now have cash reserves again. The 401(k) from my newspapering days has grown decently. I have a Roth IRA, and my writing business has been funding a SEP-IRA (although those contributions have slowed way down). My goal is to let these funds ride until age 73, when I’ll have to take required minimum distributions.
On paper, I’m probably okay. But rationality is not much of a defense against that bag lady dream.
It’s not about getting rich. Who gets rich working retail? The job has been good for my self-esteem, for my health (tons of steps per day have helped me lose weight) and, yes, for the bottom line. Every dollar I earn is a dollar I don’t have to take from savings (or retirement) to cover things I need.
DF has told me I don’t have to work. I thanked him for his kindness and politely said that yes, I do have to work if I can work. I can’t in good conscience let him pay for everything.
I know how lucky I am. So many people aren’t able to save enough to stop working. But I don’t want to test that luck. Until I reach at least age 70 and qualify for full Social Security, I’ll keep playing store.
Readers: Are you still working? If retired, have you considered taking part-time or seasonal work to make ends meet?
*Won’t confirm the name of the store but anyone who lives here could probably figure it out.
**Usually I take a bag of pretzel M&Ms over to share when I get together with my friend Linda B. I was able to buy 10 bags of that popcorn for less than I’d spend on one bag of candy. And dang, is it good.
***Some people use Lyft, Uber or taxis to get home. Don’t want to think about how much of a day’s pay that eats up.
****She paid me back later that day, once she had time to go to the bank.
It’s nice to see you again. I’d love to read that old article about living on $12,000. I live on about $13,000 now. I have learned how to make it stretch. Fortunately, I live in subsidized housing an have other supports in place. It looks like I may be able to pick up a little extra this year. (69 female, chronic health condition)
Thanks for your kind words. If you’d like to read the piece that started it all, click on the link in the post.
Hope you can pick up that little extra, because as lots of customers say, “Every little bit helps.” Would also recommend searching for “Buy Nothing Facebook groups near me.” The groups vary, but we have been gifted some pretty amazing stuff (including food, toiletries and housewares).
Donna, it was so great to see you pop up in my email this morning. So very sorry for your loss. It’s never easy to loose a parent. Your article really hit me hard. We are getting ready to move my MIL down to Tennessee with my SIL. We offered her to move in with us, but the steps and mountain we live on are too much for her, and now she will not have to deal with the NY snowstorms. She will be 89 and the last year has started to forget things and get confused easily. She admits it and it makes her so upset to realize she can’t be on her own anymore. Thankfully she had a government retirement and she too was very frugal. She always laughs when thinking back as a new bride; after paying the bills, she used to have 50 cents extra at the end of the week after my FIL was paid in the 50’s. My in laws were fabulous people and I was very lucky to have them. We are getting ready to retire in 5 years, and now I’m starting to panic already. I worry that despite our pensions and SS we won’t be able to stay comfortable. We will be leaving NY ourselves, but I just know that I too will be getting a “retirement job”. I’ve been thinking of a box store, for the discounts as well. I’m happy to read yours is working out well. It gives me hope. I first started reading your Surviving and Thriving art Ickes back on MSN . Can’t believe that was 20 years ago! Thanks for so many tips, laughs and inspiration!
I can’t believe it was 20 years ago, either. Thanks for sticking with me!
Very sorry to hear of DF’s mother. It is hard on everyone who watches it happen. Glad you were there for both of them. 🥰
We have been in the same situation you and DF have been with his mom. MIL finally into AL, house emptied and sold. It was so much work. So far she seems happy. My sympathies to you both on DF’s mom passing.
Sending condolences on the loss of DF’s Mom. Being the primary caregiver is never easy.
I’m working a very tiny bit as an attorney (VERY tiny) because I get a tiny bit of quarterly revenue (VERY tiny) from a major client that I worked with a lot prior to my dotage. I am also teaching a graduate level course about health care at my state’s online university. Pay is per student and since I never have more than 5, the pay is also VERY tiny. However, it keeps my mind active. As I think you and I once discussed, I also have bag lady syndrome. However, I got my first SS check once I turned 70 this January. I think you are wise to wait if you can.
Very sorry to hear about your loss. I was primary caregiver for my grandmother who raised me till she passed, then my Mother who had cancer. I had those bag lady dreams for a very long time too. Husband is 78, and I am almost 75. We are doing ok. We have enough to eat, a car, and a roof over our head. Decent health insurance, but like everyone else, it keeps going up along with everything else. So glad to hear from you again, as I was thinking of you last night. Strange!
Donna, my heart aches for what DF had to go through; very similar to my heartbreaking and stressful time during my mom’s last year, and afterwards trying to get her house ready to sell. Hugs to both of you. Meanwhile, I’ve been retired since 2008, and had no idea how frugal I’ve been until my financial advisor (that still sounds funny to me, as my assets aren’t that much) told me that I was the thriftiest, most carefully budgeted client they have – and probably 90% of their other clients have way more than I do. I decided long ago to spend money on myself for travel, and save for that and my final years. So far, it’s worked out beautifully. Your good advice has definitely helped!
Please accept my sympathy on the loss of DF’s mother. Congratulations on your new (now) part-time job. You rock!
We are in a similar life stage. Before I was laid off from my last part-time professional job, I had added an easy non-professional job with good hours & no commute that was also part-time. Because the full-time component has gradually increased due to covering others’ vacation time, I am looking for a similar job with straight part-time hours. I also plan to apply for SS @ 70. My husband works remotely from home & my daughter has finished college. Unlike nearly everyone else in my family who retired in their 50s, we are determined to continue working @ least part-time for all the reasons you so succinctly listed.
My husband & I have lost 3/4 parents with my dad recently turning 92. All my vacation time is spent visiting him in a different state.
I have observed 1st hand the lifestyle & cognitive changes associated with early retirement which is why we are determined to continue working @ least part-time until SS @ 70. Eventually, I hope to volunteer because of all the benefits it affords such as sense of purpose & cognitive stimulation.
I’m so sorry for the loss of DF’s mom, I’m sure he is glad you are able to be there for him.
Donna, it’s good to hear from you, whatever the circumstances. I’m so sorry for your DF and you on the loss of his mother, but DF sounds as if he was a wonderful son. (You already knew that, of course.)
Here in Central NY–as you may have noted if you’ve had any time to follow comments on The Frugal Girl and The Non-Consumer Advocate–I’ve been working with her only other close friend (CF) on getting my 87-year-old next-door neighbor (NDN1) into assisted living, not a moment too soon. Thank goodness we got the legal paperwork (naming me, CF, and NDN1’s nephew down south as joint DPOAs) done last year. Thank goodness also that the nephew, though distant, is supportive of our efforts.
The next step, of course, is cleaning out NDN1’s house to get it ready for sale. And believe me when I say that this place would qualify for an episode of Hoarders. I’ve named various spaces the Pantry of Death, the Sun Porch of Doom, the Abandon All Hope Basement Storage Area, and the Bedroom of Handicrafts and Chaos. Fortunately, NDN1 has enough liquid resources to keep her in assisted living for a couple of years, so we’re not under time pressure to clean out the house.
Ha ha! I love the names you gave the various areas in NDN1’s house. Sometimes we have to laugh or we’ll cry and this appears to be one of those times. Best of luck in the job you have ahead of you especially in the Abandon All Hope Basement Storage Area! Sounds like a challenge!
My condolences to you and DF on the loss of his mother.
It’s nice to see you back. I missed reading your words but I can see why you haven’t been active online…because you’ve been very busy offline.
I also cashiered at a local deli after retirement. I really enjoyed it. I always have loved working on a cash register although when I took the deli job, I hadn’t worked on one in about 30 years. Like you say, they’re quite different from how they used to be! My back started to really bother me so I stopped cashiering but I miss it sometimes. Now I work at the elections here in town, anywhere from one to four times a year. Like you, I’ll never get rich but with DH working the elections too, every time we work our 13 hour shifts, we each bring home a nice check. It’s also fun. I was a mail carrier with time deadlines every day so these jobs are a nice break.
Glad you’re back!
Thanks for the update, Donna. Sorry to hear of your loss. Your energy amazes me. I’m glad you found something in retail you enjoy. Please tell your daughter I miss her blog and hope she is doing well.
Hi, Donna, I’m very sorry to hear of DF’s loss. Thank you for sharing what has been going on in your life. You are an amazing person, and I continue to learn from you. I’ve been reading you since that first column, which inspired me to look at possibilities. I don’t think that there’s one formula to answer the retirement question. Every person has to look at her own life and make choices based on needs and values. I retired earlier and don’t regret it. I had a good job but was burning out. I felt tied to my job, and I had no energy when I got home from work. Another thing I looked at was the unpredictability of life. One parent didn’t live long enough to collect Social Security; the other did, but not for very many years. My health situation is not the same as theirs, but life can throw some real curve balls, and I didn’t want to “spend more time at the office.” We’ll never be on anyone’s list of very wealthy people, but we do OK. On the other hand, in comparison with a lot of the rest of the world, we would be considered wealthy. I understand the bag lady dream. I think that I’ve had some version of it myself along the way. Yes, my eyebrows go up and I mutter to myself when I go grocery shopping and see the latest price increases. Yes, I make budget adjustments, especially lately. Yes, I postpone doing some things. Yes, I look for ways to do things better. I also look for ways that I can give, and you, Donna, have been a big influence on me in that regard. I try to be philosophical about it all, and I succeed, most of the time. I don’t regret my decision, however. If there’s a battle between money and time, I’ll take the time. Because I retired when I did, I had the time to locate (with help) a long-lost relative and have a connection with him for several years until he passed unexpectedly. Those choices may not work for someone else, and I understand that. We do what makes sense for us, and if we have a sense of calm and peace about our choices, then we’re probably on the right track. God bless!
That all sounds like a great use of your time. As you say, no two situations are alike and we have to do what works for us.
May I also suggest looking for unclaimed funds? Here’s a link to that post:
https://donnafreedman.com/unclaimed-funds-look-for-them/
Glad to see you writing again; please know that you were very much missed. I’m so sorry about the loss of DF’s mother, but it was very sweet to read about the living way he took care of her and how he made her final days/weeks/months less lonely and more bearable. Truly he was an angel among us, being there for her.
I hear you about your struggle and empathize with the long retail hours and the bag lady phobia.
I, too, have been working retail and clinging to the job out of fear; this, despite receiving 2 pensions + SS. The latter is quite a good amount since I waited til age 70 to start receiving it. But with the crazy things going on in our country and world, inflation and tariffs and war, I fear it just might not be enough.
For many years, I substitute taught during the day and cashiered at a drug store in the evenings and on weekends. This past fall, my subbing came to an end. Not my choice, but whatever. I miss the kids but with some health and mobility challenges, it’s better not to be hobbling around the long hallways. Also, I am doing much better not to have to get up so early to be there at 7:20 a m. I sleep til 9 and that’s much better.
This week, I took in my income tax and was surprised at how much they said I earned… I suspect they are wrong and I have another appointment to go over the figures.
Years ago, I quit writing except for contributing to blogs, no pay there, and greatly miss it, but like you said, the markets are drying up. So are my ideas about what to write.
I live alone and if not for the store, I would go days without talking to anyone except the dog.
I had been going to church but got tired of always being overlooked or ignored unless they wanted something out of me…money or volunteer work.
This fall, I spent many many hours working for free, spearheading a major project for the church. But then, they did not even acknowledge my birthday, which is something they always do for everyone. At which point, I tore up my tithe check and walked out of the service. Shame on me! (Sorry, not sorry.)
I paid off my car and will soon finish paying for my new roof. I made some (much needed but still frugal) improvements to the house and am in a bit of a better situation.
It seems to be more of a struggle each year but like you, I’m still slogging along. We just keep on keeping on and hoping it will get better soon
Again, welcome back! Hang in there!
My condolences on the loss of DF’s mom. I’ve been reading your posts for a long time. I remember the article you referred to in this post.
I’m a 70 yr old married female. I retired when I was 66 due to the fact that the medical provider I was working with left the job for a different location. I started taking social security. I was home for about 6 months and then was bored. I found a per Diem position at a clinic and started working about 10-15 hours a week. It’s similar work as a medical assistant that I had done for over 30 years. It keeps my mind and body active. I have no plans to quit at this time.
TBH, Donna, as a financial expert I am unconvinced by your words “full Social Security.”
So many people don’t understand. Yes, you get paid more at 70 than at 62. You are also missing out on 8 years of payments and their compounding.
Leaving aside compounding, simple arithmetic proves that it all evens out around age 80. If you live longer than 80 and put off SS until 70, then good. If not, you lose.
For instance: a friend of mine can start SS next year at 62 at about 1800 a month. Or if she waits till 70, 3400 a month. (approximately)
Let’s do some math.
1800 x 12 months x 18 years (until 80)= 388,880
3200 x 12 months x 10 years (until 80) = 384,000
I see so many older adults being smug and superior about putting off SS but for many, the math ain’t mathing, people.
Even leaving aside investment gains and compound interest, with the people we apparently have in control of the government, take the money and run, I say.
Sorry, I mistyped 3400 when I meant 3200.
I agree. That break-even point is a bit of an eye opener. No one in the spouse’s family has lived past 85 anyway!
I’ve heard this argument as well. It’s fair to make the calculations and decide that, say, a chronic illness means you’ll probably die sooner.
What people also need to keep in mind is that they could outlive their retirement savings and then have to live only on their permanently reduced Social Security benefit. If you retire at 62 and live to 90, your retirement savings have to take care of you for 28 years. If you retire at 70, those savings will need to cover you for 20 years. And those later years can be pretty pricey.
Oh, and not everyone has enough retirement savings. Or any retirement savings at all.
I don’t feel a bit “smug and superior” about my choice. It’s simply…my choice. Others get to do what they feel is right for them.
Amen, Donna, Amen! I also waited until 70 to take SS for the exact same reason. I understand you get 8% more for each year you wait, up until 70 –which is more than I’d earn with any other investment these days. So I waited and I 6glsd I did.
glad
Donna
So sorry to hear about DF’s mom! I remember chuckling about one blog post you wrote where she ate a LOT of cake you made. I believe it was the sour milk cake…not sure
And great about your job! Keeping busy and being productive! And I love it that you can help others with rides and such
Ann J
Donna, so good to hear from you! I’m so sorry to hear of your and DF’s loss, but so glad he was able to be there for his mother and that you were able to be there for him.
MrH began collecting Social Security at 66.5, when he was eligible for full retirement benefits. We discussed waiting until he was 72, when he would receive the maximum amount, but I think this was the right choice for us.
Between Social Security, his business income, and a small inheritance from my mother, we were finally able to buy a house with a substantial downpayment and are working toward paying it off. He’s now semi-retired, still taking paying work when projects come in the door, but it’s nice not to have to rely on that exclusively.
Due to a physical disability, I haven’t been able to find work, so I spend my days keeping the house running on an even keel and trimming our budget through gardening and home cooking. I’d like to plant some fruit trees over the next few years, too.
I do worry about the future, especially with rising food and fuel prices. I can definitely relate to “bag lady” dreams! I’m glad you’ve found a way to combat them and that you’re enjoying the new job. It sounds like a great opportunity to get out and interact with people, and the employee discount wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit!
Hello Donna, sorry to hear about DF’s Mom. Went through something similar just before Christmas and lost my father. We are now dealing with the house, the “things” — oh so many things, the cars, etc. It is always so much work when someone passes, glad to have my siblings to help!
I am still working – my financial advisor says 4 more years – i want to be done now – but healthcare is so very expensive.
Sorry to hear of DF’s mother. He is very lucky to have been there to help her with her transition. I was in FL during my mother’s passing in 2000. Yup, so I couldn’t even visit her without quarentining for 10 days before and 10 days after. And I watched the funeral on the internet. Luckily, she had taken care of all her assests and her estate before she got to be really bad.
I am also transitioning into retirement – only 11-1/2 more working days. I am so ready. I am sick of sitting in my home and being tied to a desk and not doing anything. However, I am extremely thankful that this job has let me move around the US until we found a place we could afford to have both of us retire (and Florida was not that place!) My husband is currently working retail and enjoys the people connection. I will be looking for something part time after some time off. From what I hear, the hospital has a great position that you only have to work 1-2 days per quarter. Since I cannot work full-time for another 2 years, this will be perfect. I do have plenty of friends at the gym and thru some crafting groups, so the people connection is there. And I plan on working on the outside of the house this spring and summer with lots of gardening. Also spending time with my granddaughter.
Hi Donna, I was excited to hear an update from you! I am sorry to hear about DF’s mom. It’s hard losing loved ones, please except my condolences. It sounds like you are doing well and I am thrilled to hear that. I’ve been following you since MSN days too. I was always a bit frugal (maybe more than a bit) to start with and really enjoyed learning all kinds of new to me frugal lessons from you over the years. I retired a little less than a year ago and my frugal ways serve me and my hubby well and allowed me to retire. Wishing you Happy Spring!
Hi Donna. I’m pleased to see that you are still writing, I used to read your articles a lot but that was some time ago. Now, I’m getting back into it. Sending my condolences on the loss of your DF’s mother, it so hard dealing with losses of those we love. I’ve lost several key family members and friends over the past 12 months and it’s a reminder of passing time for sure, not to mention constant grieving. I thought I was a goner myself last month when a sudden attack of vertigo (from which I have never before suffered) hit me in the middle of the night and necessitated the calling of an ambulance by the spouse. So yeah ….. life. So anyway, the spouse and I were ‘forced’ out of the workforce permanently in October 2020. Peak Covid. I had already quit my job because we could afford to live on Spouse’s income but then along came covid and the spouse had a choice to make: quit or take an experimental jab that may or may not screw him up. He chose to quit and boy that was HARD. We were not prepared for it and hadn’t planned for his employment to end. He is a former rocket scientist (yeah, we laugh about that a lot) and we went from making good income to STRUGGLING. Luckily our house was paid off, but only just in time, and that was the saving grace but it has been a HARD 5+ years. We didn’t dare touch the savings because that was the cushion between us and the streets, we thought, and the spouse had a pension that thankfully barely got us through. We have doubled our income now with taking social security early, no way could we wait until 70. Spouse worked a highly specialized field so finding other employment is literally impossible for him and so it has been 5+ years of continued adjustment after being bounced so suddenly from his job. I can’t even say how difficult it has been emotionally BUT we are both coming out the other side now and life is regaining hope that was lost before. Right now, we live on a pension and social security and life is better these days. I have no intention of returning to the workplace. It’s been a case of ‘make it work’ for years now but that has always been the case with me regardless of how much money came in. These days, we stick to a fairly strict budget at home and we splurge on trips whenever we are able to take them. We get around but it’s planned like a military operation. We don’t shop for anything we do not need and we’ve sold everything we never used. There’s nothing like suddenly losing a high income when one is used to seeing that in the bank every month – it has taken us literally 5 years to get used to it. Oh well, things could be worse of course. We are both reasonably healthy for now so I’ll take that as a win. Honestly, sometimes I am amazed that we have financially made it through the last 5 years because I kept thinking that we didn’t have enough to retire on but you know what? We DID make it work out of sheer necessity. Retirement is a mixed bag for us – we miss the workplace interactions and socializing and I get resentful sometimes that a choice was forced upon us and that we took the route we didn’t really want to take. I’m still proud of us though – we are stronger and smarter today as a result. Best wishes! Quest x
DH and I were just talking about a similar situation and how hard it was but after successfully coming through it, we find we’re okay and glad we never took it out on each other. We still like each other…lol…but hope to never go through it again. Glad you’re doing good too.
Thank you Christine! I’m glad you and DH were able to make it work too. It really is a major adjustment isn’t it, when sudden job loss occurs. There is a toll for sure and it has been a humbling experience for us. Best wishes to you for continued successes.
So good to hear from you! You have been missed. I also miss your daughter’s blog.
It’s good you are well enough to work all those hours, and on your feet too! Those sound like some nice discounts and benefits, and pleasant working group.
My condolences on your loss. Your DF must have the patience of a saint to be dealing with the insurance battles.
Am I still working? Yes, and no. I retired at almost 62, and do not regret it. It was early, and I made a timing miscalculation which resulted in no income for four months, but we survived because I had loaded up the house with food in advance and paid bills in advance due to payment for months of unused leave. When everything was processed and in payment status, I did receive 98% of my government employee pension, but I had to pay an unplanned $14,000. My social security benefit at 62 is lower than it would be at a later age, but I looked at family history and age of death, and decided 62 was it for me.
When I first retired, I did some resume review, job application coaching, proof reading, etc. Have not done that in six years. Did some volunteer resume review at some job fairs, but none of that for a while.
Now, I have some extra income from working the elections, but have recently moved to afternoon half instead of whole days. I occasionally will also work as a mock juror, usually labeled and paid as research, and paid online surveys. Not enough income for 1099’s.
My husband decided to also retire at age 62+. He gets his social security and a small private pension of $200/month. He also has an online business where he sells used books and videos. It’s time to wind that business down.
Right now we are meeting expenses, but major health issues are cropping up. I did cash out my 457 account to bring down the monthly cost of my “new to me” car. Family and friends in our age group are passing on, so some days are harder than others.
I’m still doing the found money bank, and have talked my husband into joining me in that. I cashed it out last week and shopped for a local food donation.
Write again soon; we miss you!
Sorry to hear of DF’s mother passing.
I’m no longer working but I support local food and clothing ministries like I have done in my former community.
I looked you up today and am glad to see you are still blogging.
My exercise instructor at the Senior Center is working to help pay for home improvements.
I see enough seasoned citizens working retail in my area. Most of them need to supplement their SS payments.
I looked you up today because my aunt needs a light for SAD. If you could email me I would love a recommendation as winters are hard for her in Wisconsin.
We moved from California at different times