The Money Truth after 60:

Why Going Back to Work Gave Me MORE Freedom

Today, three months into my second contract, I’ve secured more than $350,000 in support and I’m still enjoying the work — the donors, the colleagues, even the admini-trivia like invoices and tracking expenses.

The difference this time is that I can work from wherever I want, as long as I deliver. I’m not grinding. I’m contributing.

You may not raise funds for a living, but your skills — the ones you’ve honed for decades — are absolutely still needed somewhere.

COVID changed how we work. When I stopped working in 2021, everything felt messy and rigid. Now, employers understand that flexible arrangements attract the best people — especially those of us who want freedom from an office. Taking the right job doesn’t mean losing your independence. In many cases, the paycheck gives you more of it.Financially, I feel fairly compensated for the experience I bring, and that’s another upside of reinventing yourself at 60+. You can still find part-time or full-time opportunities that fill your bank account and support the life you want.

When I stopped working at 61, eight months shy of Social Security and years from Medicare, people thought I was bold or reckless. I paid for my own health insurance, carried travel medical coverage, and kept my expenses intentional. My retirement fund was in the low six figures, and I had a small investment account I’d traded (with mixed results). With Social Security on the horizon, it didn’t make sense to keep an apartment. That money was better spent on full-time travel.

I needed the dollar to stretch, and I wanted the ocean. So I headed to Puerto Vallarta. During four back-to-back cruises from LA to Mexico, I searched every week for an apartment. I found one, but it wouldn’t be ready for a month — so I stayed on the ship.Your version may look different — a different destination, a different rental strategy, or a different way of stretching your dollar — but the point is the same:

YOU have more options than you think.

And here’s the truth:

Yes, a solo balcony cabin can be expensive.
But not in August 2021, when cruises had just restarted.

For $500 a week I had, a balcony, food, housekeeping, laundry, gym, zero rent and a new port almost everyday.

It was cheaper than living in San Diego.

Those first seven months of not working worked beautifully. The dollar-to-peso conversion was high. Tourism was low. Prices were normal. And when I rented out the second bedroom and bathroom, my rent was covered entirely. I even documented how I lived for free in Puerto Vallarta — you can find those stories on this blog and my YouTube channel.

Here’s what I know:
Money is a tool, not a judgment.

All of this is an example of how we can pivot, adapt, and make or save money to live our best lives at 60+. Our greatest strengths are :

• We know how to figure things out. If we travel where the dollar is strong and cost of living is low, we can travel without burning through our retirement or Social Security.

• W can see possibilities, roll with change, and adjust quickly. We have decades of experience proving it.

• We can pay attention to trends — and use them. When women flocked to Puerto Vallarta to escape COVID rules or check out PV for short- or long-term stays, I rode that wave.

  Sunrise over the Pacific from San Diego to Las Vegas

As women 60+, we have decades of experience making life work — for our families, our jobs, and ourselves. We know how to problem-solve, stretch a dollar, pivot when needed, and reinvent when called.

Your experience, resilience, and
problem-solving are your superpowers.
Don’t underestimate them.

Use your superpower — whatever it is — to build the life you want next.
And remember: Reinvention never retires™.

What’s your next pivot?
What’s one barrier you can remove to move forward?
Share your pivot moment in the comments below.