It's good to be old

I am in the "over 50" crowd myself, but I have not paid much attention to the seniors programs at the semi local riverboats I frequent. I have seen references to some stuff for the 55+ crowd, but I am not quite there yet (about 4 more months).

"I think its the casino atmosphere, and not the actual betting or gambling, that is so appealing to me. Give me a job "in the casino" and I would be as happy as "gambling in the casino."

This is exactly why I work. I just love being in the casino.

Cjen is correct. You cannot collect SS retirement benefits if you're still earning more than a certain amount and are less than your official retirement age (this varies, based on what year you were born in). I started collecting SS when I retired from my good-salary job at the age of 63. My official retirement age was 65 years and 10 months. Since that time, I'm able to earn as much as I want, with no reduction in my SS amount.

I'd rather be 20 years younger too but since I'm not, I will take advantage of everything offered to us "blue hairs" (actually I have light brown hair) and am a young 67. Good to know about the blue hair club at Rincon since we will be there in a few weeks.

Trust me, one of the greatest feelings in the world is when you can say to the cashier at the Dunkin Donuts near South Point, "I get the senior discount." (it's 55 there). And the young girl says, "sorry sir, you have to be 55" and then I pull out my license. What a wonderful feeling to be carded again.

Dan, I know a lot of hosts and yes you have to work your way up unless you happen to have "celebrity status" that will make you an "instant host." So big name gamblers, athletes, etc can "walk in" to a host job. Everybody else has to "work up" into a host job.

I also thought about a cage job.

The other job I would love to do (because I have a LOT of experience doing this) is in COLLECTIONS. I know how to collect big money from tough customers because in my second career owning my business I do sales AND collections. The goal in both is to take their money, keep them smiling, and get them to come back for more business. (Of course my business is a bit different from the casino business because I help them make money,not lose it. LOL)

"I'm not sure I want to walk the casino floor signing people up for slot cards.....I'm not that friendly and I generally don't like people that much."

That statement made me laugh today! If a host job in a casino doesn't work out, maybe you could get a job as a Wal Mart greeter: GIT YER SH*T N GIT OUT!

My wife retired at 62 due to health and one of the big concerns, as it will be with many, is health insurance. Medicare doesn't kick in until you're 65, and even if your company allows you to remain on it's group policy, it's generally out of your pocket. There is a limit to how much you can earn and still draw SS. In my wife's case it was approx $14,000 per year. Consider also that when you turn 62, whatever money you have already made in that year will be part of the equation, so if you've already exceeded (the $14,000), your payments will be withheld until the balance is reached. In my wife's case, she had to wait until Dec. 31 to offically retire.
As to working in the casino (which I do), I've found that my "jones" for the atmosphere is even bigger. I still go to other casinos on my time off and, although I don't have a gambling problem myself (and I'm absolutely not intimating that any one else does!), if I did, I don't know that my job would be the cure (haha).

If you go to the Social Security site I think it will tell you that there is a one time exemption for the year in which you retire regarding how much you can earn. If it wasn't that way then most everybody would earn too much in the year that they retire.

I won't say you are wrong, things may have changed in 2 years, but my wife turned 62 in March and we sat in the SS office with a couselor in August of that year and he very clearly stated that although she could apply at that moment, because of her salary year to date, she would not get any payments for the rest of that year. I just went to the website and although it was a bit confusing to me, apparently there are different rules for the year you reach full retirement age (aka 65 in my wife's case).

Hair wise it doesn't matter for me as I started loosing mine in my late 30's. I would like to be 20 years younger as my body would be in much better shape.