Maybe you spend more time than you’d like to admit daydreaming about retirement, even if you love your job.
Getting ready for retirement isn’t just about saving money, no matter how on track you are with your savings goals or how far behind you feel on them.
There are habits and strategies that many retirees who’ve made the move to life after work share that help them enjoy the good life today and plan for an even better one tomorrow.
Following these habits and practices can help you be happy in retirement. Even better, you can improve your quality of life at any age if you start working on them early enough.
Don’t forget
- Over the past 25 years, commercial real estate has done better than the S&P 500. Don’t be a landlord in 2024—diversify your stock instead.
- Use these 3 “real assets” to protect your wealth now, no matter what the US Federal Reserve does or says. Because 2024 is a year of surprises, anything could happen.
- In the new year, try these five simple ways to make and save a lot of money. They will only take seconds.
Plan the work and do it
People who are happy with their retirement often spend a lot of their working years saving money for it. Thinking carefully about how to spend their money, saving hard and regularly, and making other plans helped them get ready for a calm and financially independent life.
It’s not a wonder that a lot of them don’t just turn that off when they stop working. It’s always helpful to plan ahead, whether they’re changing their portfolio and needed minimum distributions or making a map of their perfect European vacation.
This practice can help people of any age when they need a backup plan because of health problems or other sudden events.
Keep an eye on your money
Whether you’re 10 years away from retirement or almost there, you may want to put your money on autopilot.
These days, a lot of young investors pick target-date mutual funds. These funds manage their risk automatically as the owners get closer to retirement. In the same way, a lot of retirees choose tactics that focus on low returns to protect their money from market volatility.
Both options are good because they encourage people to save money without any interference and without taking risks.
But whether you’re young or old, you should still keep a close eye on your savings and income. You should also keep up with any changes to government rules or other events that could affect how much you get (and how much you may owe) in retirement.
“Set it and forget it” thinking might help you stay in the market, but don’t leave it there.
Recent data shows that only 40% of people who are not retired are confident in their retirement savings. This is a clear sign that many Americans need help managing their money and protecting their assets.
Find a financial expert who can help you manage your money and make sure your assets are safe. This will give you peace of mind.
It can be time-consuming to look into and call a lot of different financial planners, but there are easy ways to find vetted advisers online that fit your needs.
You can enjoy this new part of your life to the fullest if you hire a professional to make sure all of your financial affairs are in order.
Stay fit and healthy
Going to the gym daily now? Good job. Keep up the good work, because taking care of your health now will actually pay off when you retire.
Seniors can get discounts at gyms like the Silver Sneaker program and other breaks. But keeping fit can protect you in the long run against rising medical and health costs.
Active habits can help you avoid some of the expensive medical situations that add to the $315,000 that Americans over 65 can expect to spend on medical costs in retirement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that the best ways to live longer are to walk, lift weights, and do daily mobility exercises.
Get smarter
Getting a new hobby or skill is not only fun, but it also keeps your mind busy and sharp. Learning to paint or play the guitar requires a lot of brain work and problem-solving, which is fun and can help slow down cognitive decline.
You might get twice as much out of your workouts if you keep learning new things by doing things like tennis classes or ballroom dancing.
Keep in touch with people
Studies have shown that retirees are happier when they spend more time with friends and family. On the other hand, studies have shown that being alone can lead to heart disease, stroke, and dementia.
Being lonely can make people less active, and many older people stop doing the things that kept them healthy in their younger years. This increases the risk of rapid health losses as we age.
Before you even quit, think about how you’ll keep yourself busy, give your life meaning, and connect with other people in your later years. You might want to join a club or do charity work so that you know what you want to do with your time when your job is over.
Most importantly, stay in touch with family and friends. According to study, this will keep you happy and lower your stress. It’s likely that Gallup didn’t need to tell you that.
