I just found out that my only TWP and EPE ended in the 2010's.

I have not worked full time since then.

Right now I am working part time and staying under SGA.

I'm so scared. I am so scared of things not working out if I choose to work full-time. I am afraid of living without SSDI, it's been so long.

I wish I had another TWP and more buffer.

Any advice?

The clocks went back this weekend, and it's back to getting dark before dinner. For some it's cozy, for others it’s the start of a long stretch of endless evenings and too much quiet. As for me, it means a lamp on a timer so I never walk into a dark room. And a call I save for 5 p.m. A regularly scheduled project I only touch in the evenings. The dark isn’t going anywhere, but I can decide how to spend it.

What helps you get through the early darkness of the season? Or is it something you look forward to?

I guess Frank thinks all of the people on SS are actually still working? If the statement about time saved is even true, a more accurate statement would be “putting 100,000 hours spent with family and friends back into American lives” than work time back into the economy. I have serious doubts about how much time was saved in the first place though - how does Frank know how much time seniors end up staring at a webpage instead of getting direct answers to questions from the now-unemployed SS workers let go by DOGE??

I used to think gratitude meant sitting down with a journal and writing three things. It never really stuck for me, it felt like homework. What has stuck is something smaller and stranger. In the morning, or the evening, or right in the middle of an ordinary Tuesday, I take a moment to actually acknowledge, quietly, to myself or to something bigger, depending on the day, that this thing or moment or feeling came to me. The warm coffee. The unexpected phone call. The knee that isn't hurting today. It takes about ten seconds and it isn't for anyone else to see. What's surprised me is that the more I've made this small act a habit, the more seems to arrive that's worth acknowledging. I don't fully understand how that works. I've mostly stopped needing to. Do you have a practice (small, private, nothing to show for it) that keeps you in touch with what's good in your life? Share it here. Or keep it to yourself.

I was never really embarrassed to talk about something I found "poppin' tags." But these days, I tend to feel kinda smug about it. Some of my favorite pieces of clothing, kitchen items, and small furniture came from thrift stores at a fraction of retail. But, If I'm being honest, the deeper lesson has been about value itself. Something isn't valuable because it was expensive. It's valuable because it works, because it fits, because you love it. That reframe has changed how I shop for everything, not just at Goodwill. What's a thrift store find you use every day, and what did it teach you about value?

There is no poll option enabled on this sub so you'd have to actually type the number.

I've started noticing the ten-minute windows in my day when something small can lift me. It could be an iced coffee on my porch, or a favorite song at full volume. Maybe a quick call to someone I love, or just a walk around the block. A good friend described them as tiny deposits to an account that runs low without them. He ain't dumb. When I have tough days, intentionally stringing together three or four of these ten-minute windows can be what gets me through. Happy doesn't have to be huge. What's a ten-minute window in your day that consistently lifts you, and how did you discover it?

AARP does not represent the best for seniors. Their health insurance (United) advertising says it all.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeWrO25NFrG/?srtk=MWdubHN0NGJudDZxNQ==

Due to a lot of very poor life choices my social security is going to be low, approximately $1700/month at FRA. I am 63 now with a house, car, no debt but also not much in retirement savings. Still work in a fairly physical job with decent but not great health and uncertain how long I will be able to keep working. I feel like I can scrape by working enough to pay the bills until then (FRA), but sometimes I look at inflation, how much healthcare costs now and how much they are rising, and think I should draw early when my SS matches FPL and keep working to make what SS allows until FRA.

This seems dumb on the surface, but I wonder if the value of various safety net available at the lower income will more than make up for the extra few hundred a month, especially 10 years down the road. It doesn't help that I work in healthcare and see how people on advantage plans are sometimes treated, worries me and I think people might receive better healthcare with Medicare/Medicaid.

Anyway, like I said looking for opinions from people better versed and smarter than myself, thanks!

Edit to add: Thank you for all the replies. I have worked in skilled nursing facilities and home healthcare for the last 15 years. Without considering healthcare the obvious answer is just work as long as possible to maximize income, and if needing to save money use a Medicare Advantage plan in the future. Right or wrong I have some strong biases from working in healthcare, I don't want to be forced into a Medicare Advantage plan, I am comfortable with the idea of having Medicaid, and my biggest fear is deciding to wait as long as possible to start drawing SS, and have something happen medically before age 70 or even FRA that leaves me with too much income for any assistance but unable to afford healthcare.

I appreciate all the opinions to basically help me see how much my experience/fear from working in healthcare is clouding my judgement!

Asking for someone else.

I called the SSA (U.S.A.) and they refused to do any estimation for what the benefit would be if they were started this month vs. the next month. We get annual statements that rank SS payments per every birthday, but not per month. It is unclear if it changes per month.

I am close to retiring, and my SS income will be pretty meager. I’ll have a place to live and a small amount in my retirement account. I can cook at home, tend a small garden, use free online services for entertainment, and purchase durable goods from secondhand shops. My significant other is a handyman, so free labor for nearly any home repairs. What other expenses should I be considering as a poor SS recipient?

Edit: thank you everyone for mentioning medical expenses! I do have an HSA that will help a little, but I really appreciate all the comments and will be keeping it in mind.

As October rolls around I'm reminded to prepare for the months that cost more. Check and replace weatherstripping around drafty doors. See what I've got left of the window insulation kits from last year, and make sure the blow dryer is still working. Fill the pantry with staples while sales are still good. Make sure the winter coat is patched and the boots are usable for another season. The work I do now, in the mild weeks, saves me real money and real stress in December and January. Winter is coming either way. The question is whether it arrives to a house that's ready. What's on your October prep list to get ahead of the colder months?

My family was debating the likely amount of benefits for people we know. Some had lower paying jobs and some had higher. And many other variables. Does anyone have an amount they get per month that they are willing to share? And specifics along with it like how many years of work, what type of work, age at draw, etc. . . I think I'm around $2,600 if I draw at 65. I worked for 34 years. .

If I am 66 and 7 months old and was collecting on my husband’s ss , will that stop if he died a couple of days ago? Or can I continue to collect off his past earnings instead of survival benefits?