Retirement Turned Into Survival Math
I live off my late husband’s pension and what’s left of our savings.
“What’s left” gets smaller each month.
My days became a constant calculation:
- How many diapers are in a pack?
- How long will formula last if I stretch it?
- Which bill can wait without getting shut off?
- What can I fix myself with tape and prayer?
Some nights, I heat canned soup and tell myself Bambi doesn’t know the difference between “name brand” and “cheap.”
She’s healthy.
That’s what counts.
But a few weeks ago, the world felt especially heavy.
My back hurt from carrying her all morning.
The kitchen sink leaked again.
I couldn’t afford a plumber.
