Staying active in retirement is one of the keys to enjoying it. Plan early so you can enjoy your (long) retirement to the fullest — it will be worth the effort to be financially, physically and mentally fit during your golden years.
A good retirement nest egg is only useful if you are alive to enjoy it. When making retirement plans with your financial advisor, don’t forget to factor in regular exercise, plenty of activities to stimulate your mind and body, fun hobbies and time to connect with friends to help you feel vibrant.
Find ways to reward yourself for a lifetime of hard-work and saving for a happy, healthy retirement —
- Plan financially so you are not stressed about money during retirement
- Continue to practice good financial habits which helped you build a nest egg
- Exercise often and keep yourself healthy
- Push yourself to meet people, and reconnect with old friends
- Learn new things to keep your mind keen and engaged
Study up on these healthy financial and physical habits before sitting down with your trusted financial advisor to ensure your retirement plans can accommodate healthy living and fun activities for many years to come.
Make Budgeting and Saving a Habit before You Hit Retirement
Over the years you made the maximum contributions to your 401k plan, bought a Long Term Insurance policy and paid off your home (or purchased your dream retirement home). Before you hit your target retirement age, it is important to establish prudent financial habits — such as tracking expenses, budgeting, and prioritizing savings — to avoid overspending or poor planning which leaves you struggling to make ends meet.
Account for Every Penny Spent
Do you know how much you paid for last month’s water bill? Do you know what you spent on groceries and gas last week? Down to the penny? Do you know how much you saved by opting for the store-brand shampoo/conditioner instead of the name brand?
You should know precisely where every cent of your money is being spent. At the beginning of each year, develop a budget to account for your income, debts, and financial goals. Then use an online or mobile accounting tool to track your money in real-time.
Account for each dollar so you can be on the lookout for ways to save more cash. Clip coupons and comparison shopping, read the fine print on bills and bank statements, don’t be afraid to challenge fees. And avoid buying cheap good more often if there is a better quality product available which will last longer for an affordable price.
Pay Yourself First
After years of successfully saving for retirement, this habit should be second nature, however, now you can pay yourself first by generating income through investments, real estate, equity, saving a small part of your retirement disbursements for a cash emergency; there are many ways to continue setting aside funds for the long-term.
Don’t Borrow Money
With the exception of your home, you should do everything you can to avoid going into debt or borrowing money. It can be hard to stop using a credit card or avoid tapping into your equity and before you know it you could end up with a lot of debt. A little extra planning and investment to generate income after retirement will be well worth it.
Healthy Eating and Exercise are the Real Fountain of Youth
Setting new goals prior to retirement can help you manage the stress that often comes with ending a lifetime of work. Exercising, eating properly and having fun should be at the top of the list of habits to have for ensuring a long, happy life.
Don’t fall prey to the stress involved in making the big leap for daily work to a calmer retirement. Healthy eating and exercise help reduce your risk factors for heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure, high cholesterol and keeping off unwanted pounds. Exercise also fuels your brain and can help delay cognitive deterioration, a part of aging for many.
Keep yourself healthy. Get daily exercise. When you no longer have a job, you need to find a new mission. You don’t work out hard or pump iron, however, doing 10 minutes of exercise three times a day can be almost as beneficial as a 30-minute workout.
Save money on a fitness club membership by taking aerobics or yoga classes at a local community center. Consider enrolling in dance classes which – like exercise, excitement, and love – helps you stay in shape and releases endorphins to make you happy and relaxed.
Unlike many other physical activities, dancing involves physical effort, the ability to learn and social interactions. Dance can boost cardiovascular health and bone strength (because it’s weight-bearing exercise), as well as improve balance and flexibility. Additionally, dance has been found to improve a number of other age-related ailments, including: stress, depression, anxiety, autism, Parkinson’s, dementia, and many more.
Maintain Your Mental Health in Retirement
Just as you need good financial and healthy habits to maintain (or increase) the longevity of your retirement funds, so too must we exercise our minds to ensure our cognitive abilities last as long as possible.
Make New Friends
Replace work contacts with new contacts (contact from the gym, art class or neighborhood). You see a lot of people every day at work, and it may be energizing for extroverts and sustaining normalcy for introverts. Just try not socially isolate yourself; instead give yourself a reason to venture out and have fun.
Learn and Experience New Things to Boost Brain Power
The happiest people learn new things. Take a college course, learning a new language or start crafting. Learning helps aging individuals to focus on finding new ways of moving and to improving the speed at which they move or think. Maintain the use of your brain for many years into the future.
Find New Meaning
The purpose of retirement is to enjoy your golden years as a reward for hard work and diligent saving habits. When you no longer have work to give your life purpose, find out what motivates you to get up each day. Push yourself beyond your normal boundaries to learn a new art, start a business, go back to college or pick up a hobby.
Account for More than Money When Retirement Planning with Your Advisor
There is more to retirement than having enough money and protections to last into your elderly years. Speak with your trusted retirement planner to account for your dreams of a fun-filled retirement.