- Shelley Janek, 70, is looking for a job because Social Security isn’t enough to cover her essentials.
- Janek moved from California to Wyoming to save money on housing and other expenses.
- BI has heard from roughly 4,000 older Americans, many of whom are living on Social Security without savings.
Shelley Janek, 70, hoped to retire with a strong nest egg at her age. Instead, she’s paying bills with Social Security and looking for a job.
Janek is one of millions of retirees navigating the rising cost of living in the US. Business Insider has heard from roughly 4,000 older Americans who are struggling to make ends meet on Social Security and dwindling savings. Some, like Janek, told BI that they are unable to retire or are trying to reenter the job market to boost their income, while others are scrambling to cut their expenses.
With just over $2,000 a month in Social Security income, Janek said she is unable to afford most essentials, like groceries and rent. She recently moved from Sonoma County, California — where she lived for 34 years — to Casper, Wyoming. She’s living with a friend to save money and applying for jobs, with no luck yet.
“Everything is just climbing so dramatically that I think seniors are going to be in some real trouble in the future,” she told BI.
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Looking for work at 70 because Social Security isn’t enough
Janek spent her career in various roles in finance, computer programming, and environmental conservation. She said she felt financially comfortable for most of her life, but never made enough money to buy her own home in Sonoma County, where median home prices are nearly twice the national average — per the real estate platform Redfin.
In 2021, Janek said she had to retire earlier than she expected and claim Social Security due to a health condition. She spent most of the money she saved for retirement on bills and caring for her mother.
Janek said it’s been challenging to land a new job at her age. At some companies, she never hears back after submitting her application. At others, she doesn’t pass the interview stage. She said she hasn’t been able to land a full-time job, and is unable to work in retail or the service industry because she can’t stand for long periods of time.
Last summer, Janek said she moved to Wyoming in an effort to cut her living costs. She said that utilities and gas are cheaper in Casper, and she saves on rent because she is staying with a friend, but there are fewer healthcare options than she had on the West Coast. Janek said she would qualify for some low-income housing, but she has been on waiting lists in California, Wyoming, and neighboring states for years without a placement.
“It’s depressing to realize that there’s very few places I can afford to live,” she said. “And the few places I could afford to live are not places I really want to live. It’s looking like I may have to leave the country.”
Moving again could make Janek’s life more affordable, but she said it comes at the expense of her community. Relocating has already been lonely, and she said it’s been difficult to reestablish care with new doctors and meet new friends.
Janek isn’t sure what she will do next but she said it helps to know that she isn’t alone: many older Americans are struggling with finances in retirement.
“I think there are a lot of people in my situation,” she said.
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