Today I listened to a story on YouTube about a couple who financed an expensive RV during retirement. It is eating a huge chunk out of their monthly budget. I thought about my own strategy. I drive an older car, and combine errands to save gas. My hobbies are extremely inexpensive. I ride my used beach cruiser with my dogs, read library books, play table tennis, and cook and bake. Most of these activities are free.
I do splurge on travel, but get discounts through a close friend. I also research and find what is most valuable to me. As professional dancers, we traveled all over the world together. The company manager arranged our flights and the buses to the hotel. With the Internet, you can really find the best deals and read up on boutique hotels and charming bed and breakfasts. I have been very fortunate with the places I’ve stayed. I can usually tell right away from the photos.
I have a few practice partners I meet with regularly to play table tennis. We do exercises for accuracy and work on drills. It’s fun, social, and excellent exercise. It’s much less expensive to attend the local senior programs than to join a club. I still would like to have my own ping pong table at home. My family had one on our back patio, growing up. We would all play for hours.
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Sounds like you are managing well on your retirement income, Stephenie, and still finding ways to enjoy yourself. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bless. It really helps to have inexpensive, enjoyable hobbies. We have a lot of what they offer in assisted living without the expense.
ReplyDeleteYou.ve handled retirement and finances so well. In New Zealand, everyone gets a pension when they turn 65. It's not an affluent income, but is definitely liveable.
ReplyDeleteThat’s great, RS. I will be eligible for Social Security next year. Time flies at this age. Glad you have that reliable pension.
DeleteI think you and I were cut from similar cloth. I fully intend to use my free senior's bus pass to get out and explore. I'm growing all my own veg. Love knitting and sewing and rarely buy books these days as I use our local library to borrow them for free. I much prefer to cook from scratch using the freshest ingredients possible. It's definitely possible to live on a reduced income if you are careful.
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful, Cherie. We are able to ride our local buses for free at age sixty, too. Ours is right down the street, and it stops at the library, grocery store, pharmacy, bike paths, etc. There are many perks to being a senior.
DeleteDon't you just love retirement? Your life sounds just about perfect. Kind of like our quiet life down here.
ReplyDeleteI do love it, Anita. The planning and preparation made all the difference.
DeleteHello Cherie,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you are making the most of retirement. We like to think of it as "not working" and view each day as a blank page on which to write a new story.
Fun does not have to cost money and I think many people lose sight of that fact.