You are old enough to retire but have no money?

    A sad situation many older Americans are finding themselves in today is no savings for retirement.  When social security was first conceived of one didn't need money in the bank to retire as one wasn't likely to live long anyway.
    Full retirement age was 65 but the average life expectancy was only 67 so a few hundred dollars a month was usually enough to see one through until the end.  But Americans are living much longer nowadays and Social Security benefits just don't cover all of our expenses, especially if we want to enjoy retirement and still have enough to pay medical expenses which will increase as we get older. 
    I have two brothers.  One made an above average living, was conservative with his expenses and now has enough money to live anyway he chooses now that he is fully retired yet he and his wife still work, mainly for something to do.  My older brother also made a good living, owned a nice home and had all the big toys:  a John Deer tractor, a new pickup truck every year or so  (I'm talking the big boys with all the bells and whistles ), fast cars, and a large family that never seemed to be able to stand on their own feet financially without help from Daddy. 
    When one of his sons recently died, Daddy had to pay  for the funeral.  Even now he drives a Camaro, the one with the big V-8 and enough horses to create a stampede and lives in a 2,000 square foot home.  Even though he makes a salary most of us can only dream about he is just a couple of months shy of 70 and has zero in the bank. 
   I am the one that really needs to work as the best I ever did money wise was to make enough to keep me out of poverty.  I retired first and give all my free time to working around the house in the yard or doing things for other people, especially the church I attend.  In fact this week I purchased a DVD for an older lady who could not come to hear a special signing we had at the church, I gave a young man who is struggling financially to get back on his feet two belts, a toaster oven and a DVD player, a family with six children a pop corn popper, and another young man, who has absolutely nothing but the clothes on his back, a stove. 
   My wife and I have everything we need to make us happy:  a nice house, two playful cats that keep us entertained, two vehicles in good working condition,  a few friends, and a purpose in life.   We have some in savings and as bad as the economy is we can still take a little out each month and still increase the amount we have in the bank each month. 
   I don't want to work to keep from being bored nor do I want to work to keep from being broke.  I have a sense of purpose in life  and a little money saved so I can fulfill that purpose.