Retirement – after working most of our adult lives we now face the prospect.
No more managers to tell us what to do. No more clocking in or out.
Our time is, at long last, our own. What are we going to do with it?
Even though we may have saved enough for our later years, there’s always something that crops up to rock the boat.
Keeping busy is the most important.
If not for the money, for our own health and peace of mind.
Here are just a few tips, gathered from many sources, to help.
- Live within your means.
- Try to stick to a budget.
- Only buy what you need, when you need it. IF you need it at all.
- Buying just because it’s on “special” is a waste of money.
- Buying anything in bulk eats cash flow.
- You may need that cash for something else very soon. An emergency.
- Don’t buy what you cannot afford to.
- Never use credit to buy instant gratification stuff.
- In fact never buy anything on credit. It will always bounce back to hurt you.
- More so in your later years.
- Start an Online Business – more about that later
Travel. If you can afford it, make up for all those holidays you missed out on because of work.
Visit friends and family you haven’t seen for a long time. Especially kids and grandchildren.
Make the most of them while you can.
Or take a cruise. It’ll do wonders for you.
Fix up the house. You’ve got the time now.
Fix all those irritating things you’ve put off for years.
Or paid someone else to do.
You can save a great deal of money by doing it yourself, while improving the value of the house.
For the day you sell and move to the retirement village.
Move to the country.
Sick and tired of the traffic, noise and expense of the city? Move.
You don’t have a job anymore, you can live where you want to.
Start a veggie garden. Plant a few fruit trees.
You could even make a bit of pocket money selling to friends and neighbours.
Or donate to a local charity.
Move to the city.
Downsize to a flat or townhouse.
Become active in the community. Join the library or social club. Sports club.
Or the local chess club. Play in the local band, if there is one. If there isn’t, start one.
Start a business. Use your experience gained to start your own business.
Consulting on a small scale. It will grow over time.
Teach others to do what you’re an expert in.
Start an online business. Sell stuff online through your own website
Learn how to Start Your Own Online Business. All you need is a laptop and an Internet connection.
Want some help in doing this? Visit the Academy of Business Owners.
Choose a course that will help you.
Still want a place to go to every day? Miss the camaraderie of working with other people?
Find a fun part-time job with a small business near you. It’s not about the money.
Having a job won’t make you rich, but it will give you somewhere to meet new people.
Especially if it’s a service-type job. Like a salesperson at the local hardware.
Learn How to Use Email to sell and market products for yourself.
Volunteer. Retirement gives you plenty of time to give back.
There are lots of opportunities to help with volunteer work.
Start with the local church or Civic Association.
Dare I say it? Your favourite political party?
Opportunities abound. Here are a few more.
- Spend time with friends.
- Get to know some of the other retired people in your area.
- Take walks around the neighbourhood.
- Chat with people.
- Visit family.
- Get in touch with those you have lost touch with over the years. Even if it’s only via email. Everyone has an email address, don’t they? Or a cell phone.
- Start a family Whatsapp group. Stay in touch. Babysit. Everybody needs a babysitter now and then.
- Family, friends, and neighbours. Offer your services. All kids love Granny and Grandpa. You could even earn a little pocket money. Not for your own grandchildren, though. They’re a blessing.
- Be a mentor. Many young people would love to have someone take an interest in them.
- Chat to an orphanage in your area. Find a young person to mentor.
- Take time out of your week to change someone’s life.
- Learn new things. Do a course in something. Watch some YouTube videos. Millions of things to do and learn. It’s all up to you.
- Read. Spend your days reading as many books as you can. Modern technology is fantastic, but a book always seems more intimate. Whatever the subject. Join a book club or library. Make it a passion.
- Write a book. Writing a book takes time. E-books are cheap to produce and you don’t need a publisher.
Start with a Website / Blog
- Or start with a Blog.
- Or write a course through one of the many platforms available.
- Learn something new. Learn to play the piano. Or guitar. Any musical instrument. Music has proved to help avoid the onset of dementia and alzheimer’s disease. And it’s great fun.
- Take a few lessons. Or find them on Youtube.
- Start a Hobby. Expand your interests. Hobbies like fishing, hiking, gardening, painting, photography are excellent ways to stay busy.
- Join a Gym. Not my idea of fun, but it’s your life and your retirement we’re talking about here.
- Or you could do nothing at all. You’ve earned that much. You can do whatever you want to.
- Nobody can tell you what you have to do any more.
Retirement means you do what you “want” to, not what you “have” to.
With very best wishes,
