A happy retirement isn’t necessarily one that you design; it’s one where you’re ready for anything.
Retirement life isn’t what it looks like from the outside, not even if you’ve planned it down to the nth detail. Because of that, more than one pre-retiree has lost a little sleep worrying about what’s to come, and whether they’re ready for it. You can’t really know, but you can get a good idea from people who are living it right now.
Retirement blogger and former management consultant, Bob Lowry, writes about topics that affect retirees. And a recent survey of his readers yielded some interesting information about real retirement life, which he shared at NextAvenue.
Some people dream from about retiring from a young age, and some are never quite sold on the idea. But either way, life after retirement probably holds a lot of surprises. Here’s what some of Lowry’s readers had to say about it:
You still might have trouble squeezing in time for the gym.
Here are 5 of the biggest surprises for retirees:
1. There Aren’t Enough Hours in a Day
If you read enough articles about retirement life, you’ll probably read plenty about how boredom creeps in. After leaving full- or even part-time work, being at home could seem extraordinarily dull. But that’s not always true, says Pat W., who has more trouble finding enough time.
Just like in life before retirement, sometimes there aren’t enough hours in a day to squeeze in everything that you want to do. Finding activities and goals might be the easy part. Finding the time to do it all? That might be the real doozie.
2. Health Ranks High in Worries
Lowry explains that worries about long term health before retirement don’t really change much afterward. It’s one of the top concerns, and for good reason. Poor health and unexpected related expenses could drastically change your retirement financial needs. And according to Bankrate, “Health care is really expensive.”
Stretching out retirement savings long enough to last takes careful planning. Add in the unexpected, and your lifestyle could take a 90-degree turn. With long-term health care and additional emergency savings set aside – perhaps even a safety-net annuity – those worries don’t have to ruin what should be the best time of your life.
3. Retirees View Downsizing as a Plus
Retirement downsizing doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Instead of viewing it as a penny pinching measure, many retirees, such as Bertha T, prefer it to living in an oversize house with more belongings that anyone really needs.
Downsizing gives you less to worry about, less to maintain, and less to store. It can also give a new sense of freedom that you haven’t had in years. Without as many responsibilities at home, you can travel more and spend more on the things that matter most.
Alone time might become more important.
4. Retirement Takes Some Getting Used To
Even if retirement is as great as you’d hoped, you’ll still need time to get used to the idea. Old habits die hard. And you might just feel left out when you see neighbors out for their morning commute. The interesting thing is that they probably envy your freedom.
For couples, the adjustment can be trickier. Lowry suggests that couples can annoy each other, especially when they’re not used to being alone together day in and day out. Finding new interests can help.
5. Plans Change Through the Years
If you’ve worked and saved for years, you’ve probably come to an idea of what to expect from your retirement life. But that idea might only be true for a while. Or it might not be true at all. You just won’t know until you’re there.
Flexibility lets you adapt and change your plans as your lifestyle and personal needs change. Retiree Roger W. Tells Lowry, “You will become a different person in retirement than you imagined.” That doesn’t have to be a scary thing; it can be exciting.
Nothing in life is ever set in stone. You have your daily habits and lifestyle, but anything can change, even before retirement. In that respect, retirement is just like any other phase of life. You just never know, at least unless you’ve got a crystal ball.
Planning is what makes everything ok. It’s what carries you through all of the different possibilities that life throws at you. It’s what helps you adapt and overcome, even when you’re adapting to something you’d never dreamed about.
NewRetirement is your source for all things retirement planning. Do you feel like ramping up your investments? We can help. Are you taking your first steps toward retirement saving and investing? We can help with that, too. It all starts with our retirement calculator. Once you have a plan, the rest is a matter of learning what you can and making adjustments along the way toward your own unique retirement.
