Cheryl Fellenz, 81, swapped her home for a houseboat in 2009 to cut expenses. Fellenz lives on $4,996 monthly from Social Security and a teacher's pension. She said the houseboat gives her close ...

Haven't you ever wanted to just live on the river in a houseboat? I mean it sounds like a pretty sweet deal, doesn't it? You don't even have to mow the grass. And each day, you can see different ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cheryl Fellenz, 81, a retiree who lives on a houseboat off the coast of southern Maryland. She is one of thousands of older Americans who have ...