Some people haven't yet considered how they'll spend their retirement time. If you are wondering what you will do in your post-work years, here are
Some people haven’t yet considered how they’ll spend their retirement time.
If you are wondering what you will do in your post-work years, here are nine ideas for spending your retirement time.
- Move Overseas
Emigrating to a warmer climate is something that many people think about doing. However, there is no time like retirement to execute such plans. The decision might not sit too well initially with friends and family, but the prospect of a sunny holiday in your new home will soon ease any anxiety.
Some of the more popular relocation destinations for retiring Brits include Bulgaria, Portugal, and Spain. Regardless of where you decide to settle, check what rights you have to healthcare and welfare. Also, understand the local cost of living and how currency exchange rate fluctuations will affect you.
You should also check how to claim your State Pension if living overseas. You can get information on this from the Gov.uk website.
- Travel
If emigration is a step too far, then you might want to consider travelling more as a substitute. Retirees are getting more adventurous in their travel exploits, according to the Financial Times. They reckon that very few places are now off-limits to this seasoned band of adventurers. No matter where you are drawn to, you’re sure to find other travellers in their 50’s, 60’s or 70’s.
Even if it means going solo, these age groups are not discouraged. In fact, an ABTA survey from 2018 showed that the over-75s were the age group most likely to travel alone (22%). In the same year, the number of solo-travellers in the 55-64 age group increased from 11% to 17%, with 40% of this age group hoping to make new friends during their travels.
There are plenty of travel operators catering to this market. You can find such companies and their retirement travel opportunities at Destinations.
- Quality Family Time
Your retirement offers you plenty of opportunities to spend quality time with your family. What better way to do that than involve your family in some of your travel plans.
Holidays with your children and grandkids, also known as ‘3G’ or multi-generation holidays, give the whole family time together without the stresses and distractions of everyday life. Retirement also gives you time to visit any relatives who live abroad.
You’ll also have plenty of time to spend with your grandchildren. If you’re under sixty-five, looking after your grandkids could contribute towards your State Pension. You’ll need thirty-five years’ worth of NI contributions to qualify for the full amount of pension. Looking after children under twelve years can top up these contributions. You can get more information about the State Pension on the Gov.uk website.
- Take Up Walking
Walking is an excellent form of exercise, and it is generally free. It not only provides health benefits, but it’s also a great way to meet new people.
You can join plenty of local walking groups, and you can find these on sites such as Ramblers. Walking on National Trust grounds may come with a cost, but over-60s can get discounted membership.
If you enjoy walking dogs, then maybe you’d be able to help other dog owners by walking theirs too. The Borrow My Doggy website enables you to hook up with dog owners needing walkers.
- Do Some Part-Time Work
You may have envisaged never working again once you’d retired, but that might not be the case. A study from 2018 showed that around one-third of men and women aged between sixty and sixty-four were still in full-time employment. This figure was only one-in-five in 1998.
New pension options from the age of fifty-five mean that part-time work is now a viable option to ease into retirement. Doing so also means you can adjust to your new income and financial situation. Moreover, it could allow you to try something new, or get some new skills.
- Learn Something New
Retirement provides an ideal opportunity to learn a new skill or extend your learning. Online learning allows you to learn pretty much anything from the comfort of home, with sites like OpenLearn offering everything from maths to music courses. You could even head back to school or university and enhance your qualifications.
If you’re a creative type or want to become one, try enrolling in an arts and crafts course. Or you might like to learn some digital creativity through sites such as Udemy.
Your learning opportunities during retirement are virtually limitless. You can get more information through an online search or visit your local library.
- Do Some Volunteering
Volunteering is not just a way of keeping busy; it allows you to meet new people, help others, and have a rewarding experience. You’ll be surprised at how many volunteering opportunities are available in your local area.
These will range from helping out with a charity to assisting with some local community projects. There are hundreds of thousands of volunteering opportunities listed on sites such as Do-It.
- How About Starting a Blog or YouTube Channel?
At first, this retirement idea might sound something more like what one of your grand-children would want to do. However, plenty of retirees use the internet and watch YouTube videos, so why not try to capitalise on that?
If you have a skill or are passionate about something, you can share your experience with others. Somebody somewhere will be interested. You ever know, you could end up being an online sensation like seasoned online veterans Gramma and Ginga. These guys have over 200 years’ experience between them and over 400,000 followers.
- Get Comfortable For Your Retirement
According to YouGov research, roughly 28% of us are not confident of having enough money for retirement, with 15% convinced they would not. Planning your retirement will give you more chances of getting into a comfortable position for which to retire.
Ensuring that your pension remains on track to perform as planned is one thing you must do. High monthly management fees coupled with underperformance will eat into your investments and wreak havoc on your retirement plans. Checking your pension’s performance, early and regularly, will enable you to take preventative measures to keep it on track.
Conclusion
No matter what stage of your working life you are at, retirement is getting closer every day. You may know precisely how you want to spend your time during retirement. However, if you don’t, hopefully, these nine ideas for spending your retirement time will help.
If you are considering your pension, speak to a regulated financial adviser like Portafina or, view the info at The Money Advice Service.
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