Tips for a Fulfilling Retirement

If your retirement is fast approaching, you’re likely feeling both excited and relieved. You’ve been saving for your retirement for decades, now, and the time has come for you to spend it wisely. You’re going to retire: no question about that. There is a question, however, of how you’re going to retire. There’s more than one way to enjoy your golden years, and everyone’s fancy is different.

You might be able to afford any retirement living you want–or you may be limited in terms of what you can enjoy. Either way, you still have options when it comes to living out your retirement. Do you want to travel the world? Be the world’s coolest (and most available) grandparent? Whatever life you choose, you’ll likely have to choose certain dreams over others. It will help, as you start to map out your retirement future, to decide what aspect of retired life is the most important to you. Do you want to move to a small apartment, so you can afford trips all around the world? Do you want to move near grandkids? Do you want to find a permanent home in Florida?

Whatever retirement route you choose, the choice is totally up to you. Your future is unlimited, and soon you’ll need to decide which of the following dreams is most important to you.

Volunteering

Many people find, post retiring, that they have too much time on their hands. While no longer working is wonderful, they nevertheless start feeling stir crazy early. Many retired individuals like to fill their days with volunteer activities. We seldom have time to give back to our communities when we’re working full time, but many retirees make a part time job of their volunteering efforts. You could work a regular day at the local prison, or become a docent for the historical museum. Community service helps you feel good about yourself and your life, and it’s a wonderful way to give back. Now that your time is your own, you may find that volunteering is your most passionate retirement dream.

Being Near Grandkids

If you have grandkids, they’re likely very important to you. You’ll want to see them as often as you can, and that may involve moving to be near them. You might be content to be the cool grandparent who lives in Florida–after all, when your grandkids visit, you can take them to Disney World, play mini golf at night with light up golf balls, or go to the beach. If visits aren’t enough, however, then you’ll want to stay near your grandkids, or move closer to them. As long as you’re in good standing with your kids, they’ll likely appreciate the babysitting help and extra love and attention you can show their kids. If your grandchildren are your biggest dream, try to stay near them during your retirement.

Hobbies

When you retire, you finally have time for the hobbies that mean the most to you. You may love to golf, quilt, or work on classic cars. When you worked full time, you didn’t have much space in your week for hobbies. Now that you’re retired, you can spend your days in peace and quiet, working on the thing that matters most to you. You might finish your autobiography, or start a wood carving business on the side. Whether you dust off your piano playing skills, become a part time historian, or garden for hours, your retirement is the perfect chance for you to do something you’re passionate about.

Traveling

For many people, their retirement is a long awaited chance to travel. You no longer have to worry about paid time off, vacation days, or peak seasons at work. You can travel whenever you want to, and wherever you want to. You can travel to the other end of the world, or enjoy things to do in New Brunswick, NJ. You can go with your spouse or with friends, for long trips or week-long adventures. You may choose to travel permanently, taking up semi-permanent residence in India or Germany, and make travel your new lifestyle. You may only take a few trips, to Ireland, the Vatican, or Paris, but you’ll finally be able to cross those world destinations off your list. If you have parts of the world that you’ve been yearning to see, then your retirement could be the perfect opportunity to do so.

A Retirement Community

For many people, retiring means finding a retirement community. Not only will you be spared snow shoveling and salting (assuming you even live somewhere with snow)– you’ll be near a community of other people your same age. You can join clubs, participate in community events, and enjoy the amenities of your building. Most people choose a retirement community in a desired location, like Florida, Georgia, or even Australia. Wherever you choose to move, over 55 retirement living is the perfect opportunity for you to make new friends and enjoy your golden years in peace. Most retirement communities have fun amenities, like a pool, that make your new location even more fun for grandkids to visit.

Better Weather

This one’s high up on most retiree’s lists: better weather. If you’ve been dealing with snow or cold conditions for too many years now, you’re likely longing for a retirement home that’s sunny all year round. While a retirement community is a great chance to move to better weather, you can also buy a new, independent home in your location of choice. For instance, home builders in Queensland can help you create the perfect home in Australia, and when your kids visit, you’ll feel like you’re putting them up in a five-star hotel. You don’t have to limit yourself by location, retirement community, or price. If you find or build your own home, you can live wherever you want to, in the best home for your future. Better weather could help make your retirement dreams complete.