TESTIMONY – To survive on her meager retirement pension, Emmanuelle had to return to work. Today, she found the ideal job to supplement her income while doing what she loves.
Working all her life to end up with 400 euros of pension per month: this is the cold shower that Emmanuelle experienced when she retired. When she left the restaurant industry in 2013, she took the opportunity to “rest a little” with her husband. But quickly, the couple realized that their income was far from sufficient. “We have a lot of trouble making ends meet”tells us Emmanuelle, now 73 years old. “We worked as a couple, and at the time, we didn’t declare our spouse because she was a bit of a jack of all trades!”she jokes with her frankness straight from the south. If she “doesn’t blame her husband at all”the situation is such that sacrifices had to be made. Like 710,000 other retirees in France, according to figures from the Court of Auditors, Emmanuelle had to go back to work to supplement her small pension.
She registered on the Seniors at your service platform, where seniors can offer services ranging from childcare to gardening, DIY and even personal assistance. Atypical but highly sought-after profiles, as analyzed by Valérie Gruau, senior employment expert and founder of the site: “What comes up regularly in the choice of calling on a retiree is the notion of trust. These are people who have life experience, who know how to make the right decisions and who offer great availability, with fewer organizational constraints than a student, for example.” It was by taking advantage of this reassuring life experience that Emmanuelle took her first steps on the platform, 7 years ago: “I started by taking care of elderly people, until I became older than them!”
Indeed, this very physically and mentally demanding work turned out to be complicated as Emmanuelle herself grew older. This is why she decided to turn to another path: pet-sitting. Whether it was taking a cat to the vet or looking after adorable little bulldogs during their owner’s vacation, the retiree combined her need for money with her passion for animals. “Even if I’m still brave, it’s a calmer job.”she admits. And she manages her schedule: “Sometimes it’s two hours in a day, two days a week, or even two full weeks.” But inevitably, this means that Emmanuelle cannot count on a fixed salary. According to her estimates, she earns on average “500 euros more per month” thanks to these one-off missions, which therefore amounts to 900 euros per month with his pension.
But this additional income is not the only advantage. “The truth is that I was a very strong person. When I retired, I stayed on my couch, I only ate potatoes and pasta because I couldn’t afford anything else. So I said to myself ‘you’re going to have to move a little'”Emmanuelle tells us. By resuming activity, she lost 25 kilos and regained her former shape: “I needed this for my morale, for my mind, and to rediscover my youth. I feel like I’m 40!”
If this activity remains the ideal job for Emmanuelle, there are still certain shadows on the board. The remuneration offered by recruiters rarely exceeds 20 euros per day, and “three quarters” even prefer not to pay: “They offer holiday accommodation in exchange for services. I always refuse, because I don’t need a holiday… I need a salary. You shouldn’t take advantage of old people either!” A frankness intact for this septuagenarian who, if she has found a real rejuvenation through contact with animals, intends to prove that she is past the age of letting herself be walked on.
