Having to leave the job I have grown to love even more

vickeym

Many of you know that after I severed a tendon in September of 2022 I ended up out of a job when the doctor released me to go back to work I was told they had hired someone else and didn't need me. I stopped by our local food bank to let the director know I would be available as a volunteer again. I had volunteered in the past but was unable to while working at that job.

The director hired me almost instantly. They were in need of a delivery driver for their senior food program. I drive all over the 4 communities we serve and deliver food to seniors who are in need and may not have a way to come and get their own.

Driving in winter is not my favorite thing to do. But I have been there just over a year, and have become quite close to many of my clients. So much so, that several have shown up at a lunch we arranged for our local transit service to bring them to and take them home, with little gifts for me. Nothing expensive, except for one who brought me an 11 pound brick of Belgian dark chocolate. lol

My husband and I have had several health challenges over the last few years, and decided to take our Social Security benefits early and just continue with part time jobs instead of trying to get back to full time.

After we got signed up and are getting our benefits now we find out if we keep working we will make too much money and lose our medicaid.

We will still be considered under poverty level for our income, but too much for medical help. I hate losing this opportunity.

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. I guess I should just look towards all the time I will have for other things now, and appreciate it and I am trying hard to see it that way.

LaurieLovesLearning

Eleven pounds of BELGIAN chocolate! Lucky you! 😋

That's too bad your plan didn't play out the way you had hoped. Just the same, I think you will find really wonderful and fulfilling ways to fill your days.

jowitt.europe

@vickeym as you do part time jobs, may be it is possible to get paid not in money, but in some products like fruit or vegetables or … whatever you need.

We plan to do something like this for travelling. Home exchange. E.g. a family from another country uses our home in exchange to us using their home. No money is involved.

Michelle D

@vickeym I'm sorry that things aren't working out the way you had hoped. It is so wonderful that you had the opportunity to bless so many people. I'm sure that even not working that job you will still impact lives. And what a blessing for you to have more time for the things that you love.

VermontCathy

Many people in your generation are having to figure out career paths, retirement, and aging as they go along. The clear mileposts that the previous two generations had are no longer there.

Unfortunately health care insurance is becoming one of the larger expenses for many people who would otherwise prefer to earn less and live frugally. And the rules keep changing.

Torey

I'm sorry you have to give up something you enjoy doing so much.

I'm with @jowitt.europe in finding ways to work without actual money exchanging hands.

Quite a bit of what I do involves exchange. I have bartered my services for meat, eggs, produce, use of equipment and exchange of services. Check out and see what kind of barter/exchange services there might be in areas surrounding you. We have a couple of different sites local to me.

water2world

@vickeym Life always happens when you have other plans! (One of my favorite sayings-cause it seems to keep happening to me!)

Lots of wonderful ideas listed above. I think you are going to be a happier, more fulfilled person helping others! Blessings are always around the corner.....and 11 pounds off BELGIAN chocolate!! WOW!!!

Torey

Have you checked with your job to see if you could do it on a part-time basis that would keep you under the limit for full medicare? You could maybe fill in when people are off sick or away on holidays?

That way you could still get to see some of the food bank's clients.

vickeym

@Torey I am part time. I only get 20 hours a week. Between my husband and I we will be very close to the limit we are allowed. I can still volunteer and we have lunches at our local senior center where I will see some of my clients. Several have become friends so we will stay in contact anyway.

I know I will have lots to keep me busy, and new things coming along. Just have come to care a lot about these folks and worried they will not get along with the new person as well. Only applicant so far is only in her 30's with young children. These folks seem to relate and open up better to someone closer to their age range. I plan to do more bartering and sharing.

Linda Bittle

It's so frustrating to be in that position. It seems like no one making the rules understands how hard it is to survive in today's economy.

vickeym

@Linda Bittle Yes, they sure do. I have a friend who was $4 over once and the pulled her Medicaid for the year. I can't take that chance.

I went to the "Affordable" Health care web site to see what they could do for insurance. They estimated my cost would be 137% of my income. Somehow, I don't think I can make that work.