Jenny Blackmon

What happens when your paycheck stops? A direct look at retirement, identity, relationships, and how Gen X can rebuild a life beyond work—starting now.

I’ve been budgeting since 2004. Back then, it wasn’t optional. Divorce, low income, and bills stacking up. I needed to know where every dollar went. That habit stuck. But something else crept in over time—comfort. And that’s where things went sideways. The Problem Isn’t Your Budget Most people think their budget doesn’t work. That’s not the issue. The issue is they’re not checking it often enough. I went from tracking daily… to reconciling once a year. That’s not budgeting. That’s guessing....

Let’s not sugarcoat this. There’s a growing pile of data—and real-life evidence—that says Generation X is on track to become the poorest group of retirees we’ve ever seen . If you’re in your late 40s, 50s, or early 60s… this isn’t just “interesting news.” This is personal. But here’s the good part: You still have time to fix it. The Problem: We’re Behind—By a Lot When you compare Gen X to the generation before us (Baby Boomers), the numbers don’t lie: We’ve saved significantly less for...