A US who spent nearly 30 years in the industry quit his job at 53 and switched to working as a mailman, a decision he says helped him nearly triple his income and significantly reduce stress. In a conversation with Business Insider, Jim Lexa said he now earns up to $85,000 a year, compared to about $30,000 during his time in newspapers.
The 63-year-old Business Insider that he never entered journalism for financial reasons. He said that his interest in writing began in high school when he covered sports for a local newspaper in . “Those were the years I learned basic journalism rules, such as spelling people’s names correctly and getting the scores right,” he said.
Lexa shared that he started his career in journalism in 1984 as a sports reporter in , earning $230 a week. Over time, he moved to a copy desk role in 1998, taking on responsibilities such as clearing the front page and assigning stories. However, as newspaper readership declined, the industry began to struggle. Newsrooms shrank, hiring slowed, and salaries were cut. His own pay dropped from $37,500 to $30,000, making it difficult to manage daily expenses.
“I’d go to the grocery store with a calculator to figure out what kind of food I could afford. If one of my pets got sick, I’d be concerned about paying the vet bills,” he recalled.
Then, by 2015, Lexa said that he felt burned out from constant deadlines and low pay. “The stress wasn’t worth the amount I was paid,” he said, adding that this pushed him to quit his job and move to Illinois, where he took up odd jobs, including painting and cleaning.
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Life as a mailman
The same year, Lexa said that he joined the as a clerk. Within months, he said that he became a city carrier assistant and, after relocating to Buffalo, New York, was promoted to a full-time letter carrier.
Lexa said that the transition wasn’t easy at first, but he quickly learned routes and adapted to the demands of the job. Today, the 63-year-old said that he earns $34.26 per hour, with overtime significantly boosting his income.
“This past year, I topped $85,000 — nearly three times as much as my base salary in newspapers. My wife and I don’t have to worry about dining out, and we enjoy nice vacations together,” he said.
Beyond the financial gains, Lexa said that the job has improved his overall well-being. He walks between 12 to 18 miles a day, sometimes reaching 40,000 steps, and feels fitter than ever at 63. “I’m so glad that I made the switch. I’ve got a decent salary with less stress, good benefits, a friendly relationship with my regular customers, and a spring in my step at 63,” he said.
