Aloha Everyone,
J.J. and I respect individual’s political affiliations and their personal views. We generally stay away from the subject. Being retired and living in different parts of the United States and foreign countries, the two of us have a chance to meet numerous retirees from all walks of life. Some own two or more homes. They worked hard, saved and invested well and are reaping the benefits. Others are literally living on social security. These are people who spend 6 winter months at a “retirement” area in the sunbelt and another 6 months somewhere cooler.
The latter group shared with us their anxieties and worries about not getting their social security checks on time. They are also worried about government funded local community centers shutting down. This is where they go to socialize and receive one hot meal a day.
We also have friends who volunteer at national parks . Some receive small stipend for their work and most will receive free housing in a form of a cabin, staff dorm or a space to park their RV with full hookups. This usually translates to $700-$1,000 a month in savings. Reading about the negative effects of the shutdown on national parks are disturbing and it saddens us.
Retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy your days pursuing your interests. Visiting families, friends are also a vital part of how to enjoy retirement. J.J. and I hope that the current impasse will be resolved in a timely manner.
Aloha -- Cathi
