Just Two Buffalo Nickels

25 Replies

© 2015, Barbara W. Beacham

“She lived a life that some would describe as being on edge.” She had only two nickels to her name. This was a familiar experience, at least lately. It was hard to stretch her Social Security check to the end of the month. She didn’t want to tell her kids about how she was struggling. She had worked hard but never made enough to save anything. Besides, much of the work she did was not paid work. Taking care of her own kids, cleaning her own house, chauffeuring her kids to all their activities, car pooling kids to school, grocery shopping and preparing thousands of meals, caring for her family when they were sick, and taking care of her parents and her husband’s parents when they needed help, all of this was unpaid and not recognized by society as being of much value. So why should Congress think she deserved enough in her Social Security check to make it through the month?

Mondays Finish the Story hosted by Barbara Beacham who provided the image of the Buffalo Nickels.

Mondays Finish the Story

25 thoughts on “Just Two Buffalo Nickels”

  4. Yolanda Renee

    It’s something those in power will never see, acknowledge or fund. In a day and age when the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and the blame is placed on the weak. The poor are seen as a group of takers – it plays well for many but is one the biggest lies told!

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  6. Susan

    Very good story. It is sad but true. I worked for 30 years as a nurse and live on Social Security now and a small pension. If it weren’t for living with my daughter, I couldn’t make it to the end of the month. The politicians don’t care as long as they have their money and health benefits. 🙂

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    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      There are so many people who depend on their Social Security. I think many of the politicians can not relate because they have so much wealth. But the average person is not so lucky. And it does not take much to wipe out any savings, if you have it. Illness, divorce, death can leave people without money. Women who did not work or worked part-time so they could take care of their families are especially vulnerable because they did not build up as much retirement. And now with people being forced into early retirement it is pretty bad. So I say, Social Security is such a small amount of money, don’t cut it any more.

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