Name: Mattie Ruffin
Age: 62
Hometown: Prince Georges, Md.
When Mattie Ruffin's sister died suddenly two years ago, Ruffin decided to end her 27-year career as a program analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency.
She took a year off to travel but soon found that "once you retire and you see what your income is, it can be eye opening."
To supplement her pension and Social Security, Ruffin took a part-time job at a community college, helping people earn GEDs. Her job adds $7,000 to her $50,000 income, and she has the flexibility to do things she didn't have time for when she worked full time.
While Ruffin says she doesn't need the paycheck to cover her bills, it gives her "mad money" for shopping, eating out, and traveling. "This job enables me to do the extra things that I want to do."
NEXT: If you're short of your goal, wait
