This Is What Life Without Retirement Savings Looks Like [in CA]

The Atlantic ^ | Feb 22, 2018 | Alana Semuels

[Vermont Lt]

That seems like a low amount for Social Security. My MIL is 95. She never earned more than $22,000 a year up until retirement. She gets about $1,400 a month.

Of course, she also saved her first communion money. And she lives with us.

But it seems that this person just didn’t work a whole lot at any kind of a wage.

[Redleg Duke]

I meant, “Oh, Good For You!”

Your moral superiority is aw-inspiring!

[Lawgvr1955]

BFL

[Mastador1]

The Fast Food industry used to be exclusively teenagers and younger people.

Now it’s the opposite..................

Actually, the fast food industry used to be part time work for mothers while the children were in school and teenagers working part time for job experience and spending cash.

That all changed in the eighties when the economy picked up, mothers could go back to staying at home and their coffee klatsches and teens were either given money by parents or were told by their peers that fast food was for losers and the only acceptable jobs were in retail like clothing stores or record/ video stores and the like.

That's when employers were forced to look at the only source left with useful numbers, the Hispanics. And once that happened it was inevitable that they took over, because they then made it so uncomfortable for non Spanish speakers of any other race that they just didn't apply.

I know this because I ran fast food in a well to do California city until 98' so I saw the change from the inside , so to speak.

[Red Badger]

That may be the case in California, but the rest of the country didn’t have massive amount of Hispanics/Latinos at the time.....................

[Sam Gamgee]

I use to see a very elderly woman get on our bus with 2 large garbage bags of bottles. The transit is probably subsidized or even free for her, so she is using the bus system to collect bottles to help with her income.

THAT is NOT how I want my retirement to be. Scary.

[Sam Gamgee]

Preach it because I oppose Federal policy because of this. Monetary policy is geared to reward debtors and royally screw over seniors.

[Mears]

“THAT is NOT how I want my retirement to be. Scary.”

—

There was an elderly Asian lady near me who lived in a nice home with her son and family.

Collecting bottles and cans was just “her thing”.

Not all things are as they appear.

.

[Sam Gamgee]

Could be right. Just thought it was very strange.

[100American]

Not at all, I am dedicated to helping people and that is what I am doing now

And as an Ordained Minister I have made it more than just words, what about you?

If it came down to it I can have many people share their stories about how I helped them and changed their lives.

So much for your attitude, God is watching all the time and he knows who walks the walk.

[Mastador1]

That may be the case in California, but the rest of the country didn’t have massive amount of Hispanics/Latinos at the time.....................

No, maybe not, but I can tell you I had numerous Hispanic employees and their extended families (yes legal) move to other states like Tennessee to get away from the illegals and the bad influence on their children as well as the schools teaching in Spanish. You see they understood the importance and value of their children being fluent in English and immersing in the culture of America while retaining their own.

[daniel1212]

Yes, I agree being a poor senior in CA seems like a bad choice. I guess some people don’t feel they can make a change so late in life.

Yes, and or with Sect. 8 and Food Stamps and California State Supplemental Payment (SSP) and low utilities she has enough to get by and may be then some. Considering what the Atlantic left out then there might be more to this.

[Elsie]

Every day; the Indianapolis Star prints a chart of the dead; listing their name, city, age.

I find quite a few every day; at least 20 5 or so; that have lived into their 90’s.

I circle them in red; leave the paper for another to read; with the question:

“Will there be enough money for YOU to live this long?”

[Elsie]

But the resultant inflation robs seniors silently.

Luckily; my retirement goes up at the COL rate; not at what some politicians think I should get.

[Elsie]

It blows my mind that actual adults (with dependents!) believe that they are entitled to a “living wage” for themselves and their family, for work that high school students did 40 years ago for pocket money or savings.

It blows mine to think that politicians ENCOURAGE this type of belief!!

[Elsie]

Don't forget: CHOICE kills off about a million a year of these 'young folks' who may have made their way into a FF job as a beginning in learning responsibilities.

[Elsie]

My mom and I collected bottles 65 years ago.

[Elsie]

not 20 5

but

20%

[daniel1212]

I actually expect to and want to work until 70 and should be able to retire and afford to live well past 100, though I doubt I will live that long. I will still work part-time even if it is volunteer work a few days a week because I think it’s important to have to be somewhere daily.

And if you give your sins and life to the Lord Jesus (see tag) then you have a mission and purpose that never ends, making a positive difference in the lives of people for time and for eternity, as an instrument of His grace, thanks be to God.

[sparklite2]

Roberta Gordon never thought she’d still be alive at age 76.

I had a miniature dachshund who loved running around the living room. 
One day, she took a leap and for the first time in her life
landed on the commanding heights of the couch. 
She looked stunned as she surveyed the lower realms
of the room, and had no idea what to do next.

When I reached the lofty age of 70, it was with a sense of
bewilderment because like the author of this piece,
I really hadn't planned to be alive and retired
at this point, expecting to remain in the workforce
until I fell over dead.

Age discrimination in hiring that followed my
exit from the collapsing photo industry put
paid to that notion.

she didn’t have a steady job that paid into Social Security

A lifetime of poor choices that sound like she had no
idea what to do with herself from an early age.  Maybe,
in retrospect, the smartest thing I ever did was
to join the US military.  It gave me time to find
what I thought I liked to do and, more importantly,
the discipline to work hard at whatever I chose.

A few months later, she was much more stable. Why?
She’d gotten off a wait list and been accepted into
the housing-voucher program known as Section 8

Rather than get out of California for someplace
affordable to live, she racked up credit card
debt to pay the rent.  I'm sorry , lady,
but not only is life unfair, but being
uneducated, undisciplined, and unfortunate
guarantees an ending you wouldn't
have wanted.