I know that with the way things are expensive these days, we cannot survive on just social security. For reasons that were beyond my control I didn’t have a backup plan, an emergency plan or back up funds. COVID’s arrival set me back financially and it was impossible to recover or do something different, age being one of them. I had been laid off in early 2019 and COVID arrived just as I was in full new job search.

In any event, I was forced to take my social security retirement during COVID in 2022 as I turned 62 and that was fine. However, once things started to get a little better, I took a survival job to help make ends meet. I knew that if I went over the income limit, I would have to return $1.00 for every $2.00 I made over that limit. I did go over in 2023, and I was in the process of paying back that balance. The payback amount was being deducted from the retirement payment. I still had some months to pay when the system updated with the income from 2024 which was a little higher, not by much though. In 2024 my balance to repay was $3891 which I returned in full a few months ago. However, instead of continuing to reduce the payment for 2023 which is what had been happening until June my social security was suspended altogether! Now, that left me with no income at all because as fate would have it I was laid off in May 2025 from the survival job. I say all this to say that we should plan and save our money in our youth instead of being all caught up in consumerism. I spent my 20s and 30s spending and while I did have a backup pension from my employment days, I unfortunately had to take it lump sum as I knew my company was being divested and God only knows where that money would have gone if I had left it in the account. However, taking it lump sum happened during COVID and the amount I got had to be used to survive during that time it lasted exactly one year. I don’t regret that, but what I do regret is not knowing that we must save and be frugal and MOST importantly we need to be prepared with a backup plan for when we become 40+ because ageism is a real thing in corporate America. Once you are over 40/45 you are no longer considered viable, and it becomes so much harder to land a new job, and it doesn’t matter what industry you are in.

I remember my mom telling me to save because once you are older you are no longer viable. I used to think that it was because she didn’t have a real career, she was a sewing machine operator in the garment industry. Her factory was moved to China in the late 70s, and she just couldn’t get employed any longer because all garment factories disappeared in those days, so she survived babysitting and cleaning apts and then she took her social security at 62. I hate to admit this, but she was right they (the powers that be) will discriminate against you as you age and will no longer consider you for jobs. So, I say all of this to advise young people to save their money, invest in stocks, bonds, and real estate to grow your wealth and read the story of Ronald Reed, the millionaire janitor. Happy and fruitful saving to you all.

I know that with the way things are these days, expensive, we cannot survive on just social security. For reasons that were beyond my control I didn’t have a back up plan, an emergency plan or back up funds. COVID’s arrival set me back financially and it was impossible to recover or do something different age being one of them. I had been laid off in early 2019 and COVID arrived just as I was in full new job search.

In any event, I was forced to take my social security retirement during COVID in 2022 as I turned 62 and that was fine. however, once things started to get a little better I took a survival job to help make ends meet. I knew that if I went over the income limit I would have to return $1.00 for every $2.00 I made over that limit. I did go over in 2023 and I was in the process of paying back that balance on a monthly basis the payback amount was being deducted from the retirement payment. I still had some months to pay when the system updated with the income from 2024 which was a little highter, not by much though. In 2024 my balance to repay was $3891 which I returned in full a few months ago. However, instead of continueing to reduce the payment for 2023 which is what had been happening until June my social security was suspended altogether! Now, that left me with no income at all because as fate would have it I was laid off in May 2025. I say all this to say that we should plan ahead and save our money in our youth instead of being all caught up in consumerism. I spend my 20s and 30s spending and while I did have a back up pension from my employment days, I unfortunately had to take it lump sum as I knew my company was being divested and God only knows where that money would have gone if I had left it in the account. However, taking it lump sum happened during COVID and the amount I got had to be used to survive during that time it lasted exactly one year. I don’t regret that, but what I do regret is not knowing that we must save and be frugal and MOST importantly we need to be prepared with a back up plan for when we become 40+ because ageism is a real thing in corporate America. Once you are over 40/45 you are no longer considered viable and it becomes so much harder to land a new job and it doesn’t matter what industry you are in.

I remember my mom telling me to save because once you are older you are no longer viable. I used to think that it was because she didn’t have a real career, she was a sewing maching operator in the garment industry. Her factory was moved to China in the late 70s and she just couldn’t get employed any longer because all garment factories disappeared in those days so she survived babysitting and cleaning apts and then she took her social security at 62. I hate to admit this, but she was right they (the powers that be) will discriminate against you as you age and will no longer consider you for jobs. So, I say all of this to advise young people to save your money, invest in stocks, bond, and real estate to grow your wealth and read the story of Ronald Reed, the millionaire janitor. Happy and fruitful saving to you all.