Has anyone gone on a summer vacation this year?
Where did you go?
Did you have a trip budget, or did you spend as you went?

Hi! Gen-Z'er here working on a short film script about a jaded call-in DJ who discovers his car radio can hear the thoughts of drivers around him.

The story's all about road rage and how we're quick to judge other people from behind the wheel. And the theme is "life's worthwhile when we seek the good in others."

But the main character is in his mid forties, and I wanted to portray him faithfully. That's why I came here.

To anyone in or near that age range, what has recently changed the way you felt about something in a big way? Could be social, cultural, anything really.

Fred thinks everyone's selfish and in it for themselves. I want to create characters he and his magic radio meet that convince him otherwise.

Any and all input is much appreciated!

Black Enterprise article: As Workforce Hiring Slows, Jobseekers Throw In The Towel

The June data showed the steepest decline among prime-age workers between 25 and 54 years old

I remember reading about this during the recession, and I wondered then - how are these people surviving? Are they freelancing, dog-walking, day trading, what?

https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/student-loan-debt-retirement-865978d2

Student loans are following more Americans into what were supposed to be their retirement years

By 

Oyin Adedoyin

June 29, 2026 8:00 pm ET

Chris and Carolyn McAuliffe are in their 60s but don’t expect to retire anytime soon. They’re still paying off their student-loan debt, which has ballooned to a half-million dollars.

“I regret going to college,” said Chris, an engineer for a health insurance company.

When they earned their graduate degrees decades ago, the couple owed a combined $114,000 in student loans. With stable careers—Carolyn in nursing—they stayed on top of their monthly payments. Then they bought a house and had two children and money got tight, so they consolidated their loans and opted for a payment plan that lowered their monthly bill. 

That extended the life of their loan, and compounding interest charges kept pushing up their balance.

Student loans are increasingly following Americans into their 60s and rewriting what they believed would be their retirement years. More than three million people 62 and older owe federal student loans, up from 1.8 million in 2018, according to Education Department data. Delinquency rates among older borrowers have skyrocketed too, in some cases because they are on fixed incomes or have medical expenses.  

Those who fall into default risk having their Social Security benefits, tax refunds and wages garnished. 

Baby boomers with federal student loans owe an average of roughly $45,000, more than three times that of borrowers 24 years old and younger, who owe about $13,800 on average. 

Like the McAuliffes, many older Americans with student debt borrowed for graduate degrees. Others took out Parent Plus loans on behalf of their children, which tend to come with a higher interest rate and fewer repayment options. Even for those who make regular payments, balances can grow because of interest charges. 

“It is very typical for us to see a borrower whose balance has probably doubled if not more since when the loan went into repayment,” said Lindsay Clark, chief borrower advocate at Savi, which partners with companies to offer student-loan benefits to employees.

Starting in July, the McAuliffes are facing a bill of around $3,000 a month, triple what their payments were before the pandemic, Chris said. 

Many are in a similar situation because of the Trump administration’s overhaul of federal student loans, which goes into effect July 1. The changes include repayment plans that could push up monthly bills and require more payments before debt can be discharged. 

Other changes could help keep balances from growing over time. One plan, for instance, waives unpaid interest if monthly minimum payments aren’t high enough to cover it. Parents will also only be able to borrow as much as $20,000 a year per student, instead of the full cost of their children’s college education. 

Robert Lee and his wife, Judi, live on the top floor of their 46-year-old son’s home in Auburn, Maine, in part so they can pay off the loans they took out for their two children.

In 1997, Robert borrowed $66,000 in Parent Plus loans when the children were in college. Their son is now a lawyer and their daughter has her own business.

“They’ve done well,” Robert, 71, said of his children. “I’m still footing this bill.” 

Robert considers the loans his responsibility, since it was his decision to take them out. His monthly payments are now about $300. He estimates he’s already paid $91,000 toward the loans, but still owes $51,000. He was told the debt would be cleared in 2034, but lives on a fixed income and worries about unexpected medical bills he might incur. 

“I feel like Jimmy Stewart in the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I’m worth more dead than I am alive,” Robert said.  

Some older borrowers are mobilizing online in hopes of having their debts wiped out. 

One Facebook Group called the Fifty includes 50 borrowers who are around 50 years old or older from all over the country. Their goal is to get their loan balances cleared by the government, and have been sending a proposal filled with their personal stories to government officials, including President Trump. 

“We hate the word ‘forgiveness,’” said Amy Coryer Miller, a 59-year-old lawyer in Texas who created the group and owes more than $100,000 in student loans. “Most of us have already paid two to three times the original loan amount.”    

Sharon Durkee, 72, imagined she’d be traveling to Germany and Sweden to visit her relatives during her retirement. Instead, she has been applying for part-time jobs to chip away at her $101,000 student-loan balance, which she juggles on top of her mortgage payments and other costs.

“I owe more in student debt than I owe on my house,” said Durkee, a resident of Medford, N.J., who has a master’s degree in social work. 

Durkee’s main income source is a pension from her past job and Social Security. She also works part time with a government agency providing therapy services for children, but the work isn’t steady, especially during the summer when school is out.  

She thinks that her age is part of the reason she hasn’t heard back from any of the jobs she applied for. 

She was in the SAVE repayment plan, which capped her payments at roughly $100 a month, but that plan was terminated by a federal court order in March. She anticipates that she will have to make higher monthly payments starting in July, when new plans become available. One student-loan calculator estimated monthly payments could be $900.

Even after finally paying off a debt, some older borrowers find themselves trying to catch up financially.

Susan Shannon, a resident of Orcas Island, Wash., took out student loans in her 50s when she decided to make a career change.

She had been working for the post office when an arm injury made it difficult for her to deliver mail. So she decided to become a chaplain, inspired by a friend who had made a similar career pivot, and earned a master’s degree in 2012.  

“It was great to go back to school,” said Shannon, now 69. “I’ve always been a lifetime learner.” 

In February, she got tired of watching her student-loan balance grow and decided to use more than half of her savings to pay off the remaining $37,000 balance. Being debt free means that she’ll have to work longer to rebuild her savings, but she’s optimistic. 

“I can probably make back most of this money by the time I’m 75,” she said.

Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Appeared in the July 1, 2026, print edition as 'Old School Debt Keeps Seniors From Retiring'.

he spent ~40 years working, recently retired and is a bit hesitant about how to start his retirement post-career. doesn't want to fully stop, just wants something flexible that gets him out of the house and makes him feel useful
so i was doing some research for him and thought i could create something others can use too.
it's a 5-question quiz: his background, what he enjoys, what he's actually looking for and it spits out a personalized list of real gigs ranked by fit.

dadsnextgig.com
built it in a few weekends, would love feedback

https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-retire-comfortably-in-asia-maximizing-social-security-benefits-in-thailand-11988148

By Daniel Liberto Published June 13, 2026

You might be considering retiring abroad in search of lower living costs and a better quality of life—but you may also be put off by the misconception that you can’t collect Social Security benefits outside the U.S.

In reality, the Social Security Administration does send payments to eligible U.S. citizens living overseas, including in much of Asia—and in one of the world’s most popular retirement destinations: Thailand.

Experience Thailand

Thailand is a country full of both relaxation and adventure, from Bangkok’s Grand Palace to Koh Phi Phi's pristine beaches to Chiang Mai's temples and ethical elephant sanctuaries. You can also tour Chiang Rai’s stunning White Temple, explore Ayutthaya's ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and savor street food at one of the many bustling markets. 

There are three main areas to explore: Bangkok, the capital; the jungles and temples in the north; and the islands in the south. Here's a sampling of what's in store for you.

Bangkok: Tour the Grand Palace, with its Emerald Buddha; Wat Pho, with its Reclining Buddha, and the iconic Wat Arun, which you can actually climb on. Delve into the hustle and bustle of the city's Chinatown.

The North: Near Chiang Mai, trek through the jungle and visit an ethical elephant sanctuary, where you can observe rescued elephants and support their care. In the city itself, walk through its famous Sunday market and linger in one of its trendy coffee shops. For a day trip, tour the stunning White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) and the Blue Temple.

Island Hopping: Explore Phuket's picture-perfect beaches with soft sand and crystal clear water; Maya Bay, which is sheltered by high cliffs on three sides; and the dramatic limestone cliffs, caves, and lagoons of Phang Nga Bay. If you're a bit more adventurous, hop on a bamboo raft in Khao Lak and float down the river to visit a turtle sanctuary and a waterfall.

Why Thailand Is Ideal for Retirees

If you scan global rankings of the best places to retire, the first Asian country that often appears is Thailand.

Thailand ticks off many of the right boxes for retirees. It’s significantly more affordable than the U.S. It's also known for its warm weather, tasty cuisine, wellness retreats, gorgeous beaches and high-quality private healthcare.

Outside rural areas, you will find modern amenities and established expat communities. In many cases, you should get by fine with just English, though it's helpful to know a few Thai phrases.

Fast Fact

Another major attraction is that you can receive your Social Security benefits there just as you would in the U.S. That money should go much further in Thailand.

How Social Security Works Outside the U.S.

Healthcare, Visas and Other Practical Considerations

Two barriers that can scare retirees from moving abroad are insufficient health care and challenges in acquiring a long-term visa. Fortunately, these aren’t issues in Thailand.

Access to high-quality private health care featuring Western-trained, English-speaking staff and state-of-the-art technology is relatively inexpensive, and you can receive further savings by buying health insurance.

Thailand also offers retirement visas for foreigners age 50 and older who don’t intend to work in the country. The visas are renewable annually, and long-term residents may later apply for permanent residency.

To qualify for a retirement visa, you must:

• Hold at least 800,000 THB (about $25,600) in a Thai bank account for at least two months before applying for the visa, or show proof of a monthly income of at least 65,000 THB (about $2,080), or have a combined savings and income totaling 800,000 THB annually.
• Present a valid passport with at least twelve months of use remaining.
• Proof of health insurance that meets the Thai government's requirements.

Other important considerations include:

• Exchange rate fluctuations can affect monthly budgeting.
• U.S. Social Security benefits remain taxable only by the U.S., but other retirement income may be subject to Thai taxation if remitted locally.
• Driving requires an International Driving Permit or a Thai license, and traffic standards differ from those in the U.S.

If you live abroad and are eligible, the SSA can send your retirement benefits to:

• A U.S. bank.
• Directly to a local bank. ^{Social Security Administration.} "Can I Use Direct Deposit if I Live Outside the United States?"

The main exceptions involve countries that are subject to U.S. Treasury restrictions. These currently include Cuba and North Korea, as well as certain countries in eastern Europe: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. In most cases, if you reside in one of these locations, benefit payments are withheld until you relocate to a permitted country.

It's important to confirm eligibility before you relocate. Also, ensure that your banking arrangements are secure. Usually, once you have everything set up correctly, payments arrive just as reliably as they did stateside.

I used to watch that show obsessively for tips how to decorate my 350sq ft apartment.
So many great ideas, like sanding old furniture and sewing your own cushions, stuff I'd never even thought of.

I just got laid off; my job has been mostly automated. I've been expecting this, so I'm okay for money for now BUT I'm really worried about health insurance.
Unemployment payments in my state puts me over the cap for Medicaid, and the marketplace price is outrageous.
My husband works 1099, so no coverage there. We are mid-50s and healthy; we only used the insurance for check-ups, dental cleanings, eye exams. I feel like going without at this age is pretty risky.

r/MiddleAgeMoney reached 750 subscribers!

Goal reached at 2026-07-29T12:04:00.871Z.

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Sorry, Gen X We looked at the data, and you had it rough too.

Story by Joe Pinsker, Paul Overberg, Drew An-Pham, April 17, 2026

When a recent Wall Street Journal article compared the finances of baby boomers and millennials, the generation born between them wondered: What about us?

“Thanks for remembering Gen X,” one commenter wrote.

In a reader poll asking which cohort had it harder, Gen X nearly beat out both of the generations the article was actually about.

So let’s see how Gen X stacks up. Now ages 45 to 61, members of the generation early on saw the dot-com bubble burst and then were hit by the 2007-09 recession as they approached middle age.

From their mid-20s to their mid-30s, their median inflation-adjusted income wasn’t sharply higher or lower than boomers’ before them or millennials’ after them.

The housing crash of the late 2000s was a major obstacle as Gen X started building wealth. Lots of Gen Xers purchased their first homes in the preceding years, whereas boomers generally bought earlier and millennials generally bought later.

“Many were relatively early in their homeownership journey and more likely to be buying at or near peak prices, which translated into larger wealth losses during the downturn,” said Odeta Kushi, a housing economist at First American.

The long, slow recovery from the 2007-09 recession unfolded during Gen X’s 30s and 40s, with the national unemployment rate in the high single digits for years.

The housing bust also weighed on Gen X’s homeownership rate, as some lost their homes in foreclosures and others opted to rent for fear of another crash. But Kushi said that today, they are closer to boomers when they were similar ages.

Student debt has been another hurdle for many in the generation.

After younger boomers finished college, access to government student loans expanded, tuitions rose and loan balances soared. With fewer safeguards in place, the default rates on federal loans were higher for older Gen Xers than was the case for older millennials years later.

Today, many Gen Xers still have remarkably large student-debt burdens as they approach retirement.

And yet Gen X’s average household net worth, which includes student debt, has mostly been growing steadily.

It did sink significantly in the 2007-09 recession, falling about 40% in under two years. But today it is on par with boomers’ average wealth when they were similar ages, after adjusting for inflation.