Helpful Tips to Plan an Enjoyable Retirement
The old adage is that when someone retires, the husband would be henpecked to death at home (remember Richard begging his boss to let him stay, rather than go spend all day with Hyacinth in Keeping Up Appearances?) Or there’s the common story of a man who has a cardiac arrest while mowing the lawn, because he’s not used to slowing down.
In fact, retirement can be a good thing! If you’re 60 or 65, you could have another 30 or 40 years ahead of you! Slow down, take nature walks, make new friends, become a volunteer dog walker, read books, listen to music and learn to cook!
Embracing New Hobbies & Interests
Whether you learn to grow your own organic food or take up yoga, retirement is the ideal time to take up those hobbies you always meant to, but never found the time. This is also a great way to keep your mind, body and spirit in good health, for later years.
If you take up gardening, read our posts on no-dig gardening, pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens.
Avoid facing indoor foliage to gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows.
Whether it’s painting a landscape or knitting a scarf, artistic activities enable you to express your creativity. They’re accessible to everyone and require little more than a willingness to explore new techniques and styles.
Who says you need to travel far to be adventurous? Discover hidden gems close to home. Museums, parks, and local eateries can offer new experiences, often overlooked, right in your backyard.
Volunteering and Giving Back
Volunteering brings a sense of purpose and connection. It positively impacts both the community and your mental health.
Charities and non-profit organisations frequently need volunteers. Whether it’s helping at a local food bank, supporting animal shelters, or assisting in community events, your time and skills can make a difference to those around you.
Travel and Exploration
Retirement Rebel is the story of Siobhan Daniels, who made the decision to step off the merry-go-round of life and enjoy her own slow journey, and live on her own terms. She sold up, packed up and hit the road with no real plan on a positive-ageing adventure, knowing that retirement could be the start of life, rather than the end of it.
With no shortage of mishaps along the way (she began just before being ordered to stay at home during the pandemic lockdown), her story can inspire us all to make simple lifestyle changes.
The Joy Document is a wonderful book to encourage anyone about to hit middle-age (or already there) to think differently about getting older, rather than just ‘get on board’ with the same-old, same-old boring ideas that society encourage us to do (go shopping, try to stop wrinkles, go on a SAGA holiday etc).
In fact, liberating yourself from the mainstream can set you on a path to do real good in your community, feel better and have a blast doing it too.
When the author asked her grandmother what her favourite age was, she answered (in her late 80s) that it had been 55. So in her own 55th year, Jennifer began to jot down simple everyday ideas of what she would like to do for the rest of her life. Things that mattered to her, and things she would enjoy. These included:
- Doing errands to deliver whole foods
- Baking a fruit cake recipe
- Taking a scary ride somewhere!
- Enjoying an evening picnic
- Listening to Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8
- Performing cartwheels on her driveway!
Once you hit 55, many people already have the better life, career and the children may have left home. So now you can spend the rest of your life living life on your own terms to your own values, having a great time, and not worrying about others telling you how to live your life. This can be from physical to spiritual.
Hitting 50 can actually be a new beginning with new adventures. The book’s 50 essays explore the art of life joy, and inspire you to find the same.
In Sunday School, I had learned that the sky would open and Christ would return, just before he sent all the murderers and whoremongers directly through the earth to writhe in eternal agony.
Then the righteous dead would be resurrected and sit at the right hand of God. At the time, I could not imagine anything more boring.
Here is what I know now. There are times in life when joy will sneak up on you, and catch you unaware. More often though, joy is harder to come by and you must go looking for it.
Perhaps this book is a way of reclaiming what has been lost to me. This world is our church. Our hands form a steeple. Open the door and here we all are – so many beautiful people.
Jennifer McGaha is a writer whose work has appeared in many magazines. She also teaches at university, and co-ordinates the Great Smokies Writing Program.
With her beautiful storytelling, Jennifer inspires us to join her in creating a light-filled life, through curiosity, gratitude and celebration. She shows what it means to be a radiant rebel. Karen Walrond
Retirement Savings & Pension Credit
Millions of pensioners in England miss out on an extra £11,000 a year, because they don’t apply for Pension Credit. This then entitles them to other benefits, so always help people without Internet access, to help them claim for Pension Credit, and the benefits.
This benefit tops up weekly income for people over state pension age, if they are on low income. The amount you get depends on your circumstances, savings, and income.
If you qualify, you could also get a Council Tax reduction, housing benefit, a free TV license, support with NHS dental and optical costs, and will also qualify for Winter Fuel Allowance (around £300 a year). You don’t have to have massive savings to qualify, so it’s worth checking.
The state pension varies (often dependent on National Insurance contributions). So ensure you are getting additional benefits (including disability benefits) and ask for 3 months back-pay (it won’t be offered automatically.
It’s also good to switch to an ethical pension so your funds are being invested wisely. Around £3000 per pension holder is invested in fossil fuel companies that is making the climate crisis worse.
Make My Money Matter reports that £2 out of every £10 in the UK is invested in companies linked to global deforestation, mining, logging and tobacco. Which collectively chop down 10 million hectares of trees each year. Sign their petitions to make the changes.
Be Careful with Equity Release
Equity release is when people sell a share of their home, in return for instant money. However this is very complicated and there are lot of pitfalls. If you go down this route, don’t pay for equity release advice. StepChange (a debt charity paid for by industry) offers trustworthy and expert advice, for free.
Taking a lump sum could also affect eligibility for means-tested state benefits.
Keeping Warm without Winter Fuel Allowance
If you no longer qualify, don’t ‘turn down the thermostat’ to reduce bills, this could cause hypothermia for people & pets).
If using portable radiators, choose oil-powered ones that heat up slower but are more comfortable and safer than fast-blowing fan heaters (which can cause heatstroke for people & pets and cost a fortune to run).
For older people living in big draughty homes, take the quiz at Carbon Savvy to reduce energy bills for uninsulated homes (your local council may be able to offer grants).
Social Market Foundation (a progressive think-tank) wants to replace the Winter Fuel Allowance with a modernised Warm Home Discount, which would stop millionaire pensioners receiving it, but help those who now have nothing. It would tier to help 1.4 million more households.
Radflek is a £25 (pack of 3) booster to reflect 95% of wasted energy that often goes through the wall and into the fresh air. It’s simple to use, to reduce heat loss by half, and also reduces bills. Designed to last at least 5 years, it simply hangs from wall brackets, for radiators that have gaps between them and walls.
If you have unique radiators (like brackets that sit higher) their FAQ page has answers for best fitting. The company can also supply for commercial use (say for hospitals, hospices and care homes).
