With cheapest retirement, after fifty plus years in the full-time work force, many people are ready to retire but cannot see a way to enjoy life after work. Those who dutifully saved into retirement accounts or will be receiving a large pension fund may plan to live out the next twenty years of their lives in an RV traveling the United States. This kind of retiree is known as a snowbird.
The rest of the retirement community, those who do not have large sums of money saved for retirement, fear for the worse. The truth is, the cheapest retirement may be the happiest retirement.
Retirement does not mean that a person must stop all paid employment. It means a ceasing of work that a person is forced to do.
In retirement, the fortunes are turned and the retiree is given the opportunity to enjoy the things in life that he or she has striven hard to achieve.
Even with a small social security check, a full, meaningful life of purpose can be enjoyed, and it might even be better than the snowbird’s plan.
The secret of retirement is to evaluate the situation objectively and be willing to cut ties with the things that are unnecessary. These are the things that may prevent the retiree from enjoying the freedom offered during the “Golden Years” of life.
What Retirees May Need to Consider
To move forward, retirees may need to consider how necessary it is to own a home. They may also need to decide if they can get by with a used or less expensive car.
A couple may have worked hard their whole career to own the house they live in, but do they really need that particular house to be happy? Possibly a smaller home with fewer expenses would be more suited to their current needs. Selling or renting out their current home may also provide the extra money needed to better enjoy their new life.
Retirees can continue with this method of cutting bills by trading in cars with pricey monthly payments for a single safe vehicle with a lower payment, or one that they could own outright. This change in lifestyle may seem contrary to all that retirees have worked for.
However, when asked, most retirees speak of a commitment to family, legacy and forming loving bonds with friends and relatives as the most meaningful life experiences. Retirees who want to leave a legacy for their families can do that by abandoning burdens that have kept them locked into a life of drudgery. The cheapest retirement might lead to a rich experience with the retiree’s family, friends and community.
Having the time for volunteering at community centers, gardening, seeing the local sights and creating memories with family will triumph over any list of possessions. Creating a life free of burdensome bills will open up a life of possibilities for any person about to enter the world of retirement.
Many people believe that traveling and spending money are the keys to enjoying retirement. However, the people who have taken a good look at the meaning of life have found a different type of happiness. These people have discovered that the cheapest retirement is often the best and happiest retirement.
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