@goatprairie Well, I'm a retired female baby boomer and I see things a bit differently. My generation was caught between two worlds. Initially, women were pressured into getting married. That was the prize -- to find a husband to support the family so you would never have to work. Not that many women went to college, but if they did, it was only to find a husband. Careers for women were limited to nurse, teacher or secretary. Actually, years ago, many companies would not hire a secretary if she was married or even engaged. The thinking was the company would be wasting resources on this employee only to have her quit to start a family.
Things changed with women's lib, but by then most women of my generation were either married or if not, stuck in one of the aforementioned careers with little opportunity for advancement. Easy to say a woman could have gone back to college to learn a more lucrative career, but for many, it was too late. In my case, my job didn't permit me to go to night school. I worked for litigation attorneys, and particularly during trials, I worked 20 hours a day, 7 days a week. When was I going back to school?
And trust me, single career women aren't loaded because they don't have children to care for. I'd say they might have it worse simply because they are managing on one income. They don't have a husband's earnings to rely on. I was lucky I didn't marry. It's really hard for those women who married, then were divorced, the ex took off, and the women were stuck supporting themselves and their children. I know such a woman. Had to raise her 5 kids alone because one day, her husband decided he didn't want to be married and raise his kids anymore. She worked like a dog all her life. The kids are grown and on their own, but now, at 73, she really doesn't have that much to live on. So yes, she has a roommate.
Anyway, I wouldn't generalize about women at retirement age living with others to meet expenses. I would, however, urge today's women --married or single -- to get themselves into a lucrative career, then save and invest wisely. Don't think you are always going to have a husband to provide for you. You never know what the future will bring.
