Depending on how old I was at the time, I think I would have to go back to school or some type of vocational training. I would use a small portion of the life insurance to do so. If the mortgage is paid off, the remaining bills would be fairly small. Although we still have to pay property taxes right?
When I become elderly or am physically unable to work, my children would help me. However, it is different today. And sometimes people move away or their spouses aren't interested in directly helping in-laws. Of course I hope and pray that my children will marry kind people!
I would really like to think of something I can do at home now that would aid me in the future, widowed or not. We don't have the extra money to pay for education or training (we are helping one child with their current education) .. or even much for an investment of materials / classes for learning how to make things and sell them.
I'm a pretty sad case because while I know that I have skills in office work, administration / organization / customer service .. I'm not very creative. So, while I really like the idea of making things, I don't have the experience or skills at this point.
There's also medical transcription .. but you have to find your own work once you're trained.
Training, education, creativity, family and the rest is in God's hands.