Map Your Family History
Its never been easier to uncover your family history. If you havent created your family tree, retirement is a great time to take on the project. You could even team up with a sibling or other family member and work on it together. There are several websites that can help you, or check with your library for resources and support.
Set Your Retirement Budget
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Determining a retirement budget before you retire is crucial to ensuring you dont overspend your limited income. Create a spreadsheet with all of your anticipated retirement living costs, including everything from groceries and housing to healthcare and taxes. Define which of these expenses are fixed and which are flexible . Knowing this information helps ensure you have your income set up so that youre receiving enough money each month to cover your expenses but not taking more income than you need.
Join A Book Club With Other Retired People
If youre interested in literature, but youd rather not spend your retirement writing, joining a reading group may be for you.
In such a group, you would be recommended new books, which you would read and discuss with other members. Joining is therefore an exciting way to learn more about literature and to meet new people.
Many local areas have their own book clubs, which can usually be found through Reading Groups.
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Keep Up With Technology
The millennial generation is the first to grow up in a world where the internet has always been around to some degree. Older generations had a lot of life experience without it, or any of the usual gadgets. And sometimes technology is quite confusing.
Keeping up with technology throughout retirement gives you a lot of freedom, and it also helps you enjoy more of the benefits of living in a rapidly advancing era. So be afraid of it. Embrace technology, and keep on learning.
Retirement Bucket List Ideas For Personal Development
362) Perform a Random Act of Kindness363) Learn a new language364) Learn a form of martial arts like karate or tai chi for the thrill and self-defense365) Practice Meditation 366) Learn How to Forgive367) Learn to Let Go of the Past368) Set a Goal and Try to Achieve This Goal Every Day369) Visit the Places of Your Ancestors to Understand More About Your Roots370) Do volunteer work371) De-clutter Your Home To Create Space for New Things372) Get a Full Body Massage and Spa Treatment373) Go Back to School374) Get a PhD377) Set a Guinness Book of World Record378) Make a Difference in Someones Life379) Pursue Your Passion380) Get a Complete Makeover390) Live in a Foreign Country for at Least 6 Months391) Go Back to Basics in Nature392) Eat a Healthier Diet393) Conquer Your Biggest Fear394) Start a Charity or Movement for a Cause You Believe in395) Learn Sign Language396) Help Someone in Need397) Learn About Other Religions398) Become More Confident399) Learn How to be Better with Conflicts400) Gain enlightenment
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Keep Adding To Retirement Savings
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Are you within a few years of retirement and still trying to maximize your savings? Most financial advice recommends around $1 million in savings for retirement, but dont let that overwhelm you if youre not quite there yet. Even if youre within ten years of retirement, you can still make contributions to your retirement account. In addition to the $5,500 yearly contribution , Traditional and Roth IRAs allow an extra $1,000 catch-up contribution for those over age 50. With 401s, you can contribute both the $18,500 and up to $6,000 in catch-up contributions!
Why You Should Create A Retirement Bucket List
A bucket list is a list that people create with things they want to do in life before they kick the bucket. Your bucket list contains items of places you want to see, experiences, and things you want to do before you die. Your list can either be a very small list with only ten things or a long list with all the things youve always wanted to do. Thats all up to you.If it feels overwhelming? Stick with ten items and only replace an item once you checked it off. Thats what we do as well. I can make an endless list of all the things I always wanted to do, but I get overwhelmed seeing this long list, and as a result, I dont know where to start and what to do. So, now we have only ten things on our bucket list that we feel very passionate about, and it makes it so much easier to focus on these ten items.By creating a bucket list, you create more focus, purpose, and direction in youre retired life. In retirement, its important to have goals to strive for. Otherwise, you get bored, and you can feel depressed. And by going after exciting new experiences, you will feel more alive than ever. Getting out of your comfort zone gives you more confidence and helps you get a positive perspective on life.And since life is all about making memories. With a bucket list, its all about making new memories you can cherish forever. And youll have some good stores to tell your grandchildren too.
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Become An Expert At Absolutely Anything
Whether its learning conversational Chinese, how to bake a flawless souffle, performing mind-boggling magic tricks or amazing feats of juggling, identifying bird song or learning all the Latin names of your garden plants, youve got time to practice till youre perfect. According to Anders Ericsson, a Professor at the University of Colorado, practising anything for 10,000 hours can make anyone an expert at it.
Creating A Bucket List Write Everything Down
Write everything down you always wanted to do. Go crazy and no dreams are impossible. When youre married or living together with your loved one its important to both create a list separately at first. Later in this process, you can combine the lists. For inspiration just look at the 430 ideas we share in this article!
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Key Steps To A Successful Retirement Transition
1. Invest in self-reflection. Once you gain clarity about what’s most important in your life, your decisions about how to spend your time get easier.
What Joel found most useful was to reflect on, and discuss, questions that helped him clarify his driving motivators and interests. Four he found especially useful:
What do you want to learn about? You now have an opportunity to learn about new topics you didn’t have time for while working full-time. Once you identify your interest areas, you’ll find endless books, webinars, lectures, podcasts and classes to fill your days. For Joel, who was a biology major in college, the opportunity to study the natural sciences again was at the top of his list.
When do you feel most useful and valued? Think about the times you’ve felt most appreciated at work and in your personal life: Who were you serving? How specifically did you add value? Time spent on this question can lead you to interesting volunteer or part-time work possibilities.
What have you been waiting to do? Many people have a bucket list of things they hope to do in retirement, like travel, play golf, spend more time with their adult kids and relocate. But beyond the obvious, think about the day-to-day priorities, wellness goals and legacy activities you wish to pursue.
In Joel’s case, taking long daily walks was a priority, an indulgence he rarely had time for before retirement, when he was a traveling consultant.
Here again, serendipity stepped in.
Embrace Crafting Skills As Leisure Activities
While crafting skills generally originate from work and necessity, a lot of people now practice them for leisure. Crafting an item can be rewarding and the process therapeutic.
Examples of crafting skills you could learn include:
- Knitting
- Candle making
- Whittling wood
YouTube has useful videos teaching crafting, such as how to whittle a spoon, while most supplies required for crafts can be found on Amazon. Learning can be fun, relaxing and the result is wonderful items to gift or keep.
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Grow Your Friend Base
Too often, retirees stick progressively closer and closer to home as time moves on. What might have been a rich circle of friends could dwindle more and more until only a few remain in your life. While theres nothing wrong with enjoying being alone, friends help you stay connected to the world and give you a greater sense of purpose.
Its also a good idea to find some younger friends. Spending time with someone in a different age bracket exposes you to new experiences, and it works the same for them.
Things To Do In Retirement: Grow A Garden
Working outdoors when the weather is nice makes life worth living, at least for some people. And studies suggest that gardening is an activity that can add years to your life.
Gardening comes in many forms. Some people love growing vegetables, and some prefer the beauty of a flower garden. Or you could do both, and there is a lot of variety in either direction. Theres so much to learn about growing plants. If its your passion, you might create new plants through grafting, become an expert at composting, or pamper roses and vegetables that you sell at a market.
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Select A Responsible Estate Administrator
Your estate administrator or executor will be in charge of administering your will when you die. It is important that you select an individual who is responsible and in a good mental state to make decisions.
Don’t immediately assume that your spouse is the best choice. Think about how emotions related to your death will affect this person’s decision-making ability. If you foresee an issue, consider other qualified individuals.
Plan For The Unexpected
There can be unfortunate emergencies. There can be a major repair in the house or you need a car for mobility. You or your spouse might have an accident or an illness. Such events can take a toll on you physically, mentally, and financially. It is important to keep some money separately as an emergency fund to take care of such exigencies so that financially you are protected.
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Think About The Future
With longer lifespans, most retirees enjoy a longer retirement than any of their ancestors did. But living to 100 doesnt mean youll feel the same at 98 as you did at 70. In time, everyone loses at least a bit of drive to go-go-go.
Re-evaluate your retirement periodically and make adjustments as you see fit. The more you plan ahead, the less likely youll find yourself in a situation where you need care but cant pay for it, want to be near family but cant move, or any other of the number of surprises that might creep up over the years.
Here are 7 Tips for Imagining Your Future.
Retirement Bucket List Ideas Sports Ideas
342) Become a Sports Coach343) Run a Marathon344) Participate in a Race for Charity345) Do a Color Run346) Take part in a triathlon347) Take up a new sport348) Climb a Mountain350) Go to a World Cup351) Visit the Olympics353) Watch an NFL Championship Game Live354) Catch a foul ball355) Attend the Fall Classic356) Go to a NASCAR race and bring earplugs357) Enjoy the halftime show at an HBCU game358) Attend Wimbledon359) Visit an NBA Game360) Attend the Soccer El Classico in Nou Camp, Barcelona361) Attend an Australian Football Game
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Tips For Getting Retirement Ready
- Consider working with a financial advisor to create a financial plan for your retirement needs and goals. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors in your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- Make sure youre investing in the right retirement plan for you. A 401 might be a good option for you if your employer offers one and a match to go with it. But that isnt the only option. You may also want to consider traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs.
Icipate In A Beach Clean Up
If you care much about the environment and live near a beach, you can get involved and participate in a beach clean up. Its a cheap and fun activity in retirement that can be fulfilling too.
If you dont live near a beach, you can consider participating in cleanups for a nearby forest or public park in town. Youre making a change to better the environment and meet new interesting people along the way.
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Remember That You Are Actually Only As Old As You Feel
Your age is only a number. It should not define what you do in retirement. Dont believe me? Look at these amazing accomplishments by 70, 80 and 90 year olds and more amazing accomplishments that prove that growing old is truly optional!
Furthermore, consider that Pablo Picasso was still producing art in his 90s. Thomas Edison invented the telephone at age 84. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book when she was 64.
Romantic Bucket List Ideas
Many married retirees find that going back to spending entire days together is a major adjustment and one that doesnt always end well. According to Pew Research Center, the rate of gray divorce, or divorce among adults ages 50 and older, has doubled since 1990. And among couples over 65, the divorce rate has roughly tripled.
In order to successfully readjust to life as a couple, retirees have to prioritize effective communication.
I recommend clients practice being retired before they actually do it, says Patti Black, a Certified Financial Planner and partner at wealth management firm Bridgeworth Financial.
Black describes a pair of clients whose lifelong retirement dream was to buy a camper and travel across the United States.
They tested their goal by renting an RV and taking longer vacations while they were still working, she says.
As David and Sarah practiced being retired, they learned how much time traveling was not too long, not too short, but just right, Black says. They also determined how to spend time together when they were at home and not on the road again, how much togetherness was too much and how much was just right.
Travel
ExperiencesSkills
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Bucket List Ideas For A Luxurious Retirement
Who doesnt dream of living the life of luxury in retirement? Life post-career is the perfect time to reinvent yourself and after all, you worked hard for it!
Glamorous retirement lifestyles are rising in popularity across the country. According to the AARP, roughly 700,000 American retirees live in the most expensive of all long-term care options called Continuing Care Retirement Communities, while still more opt for long-term travel arrangements or upscale renting or property ownership.
Travel
Experiences
- Commission a community building.
Volunteer For The Community
There are concerns for loneliness within the retired community, where as other people long for structure in their week and to continue to meet new people. Volunteering in your community is a great way to achieve this. Whether you choose to volunteer for the retail aspect of charity, or prefer a more hands on approach to some of the projects, you are guaranteed to meet new people and feel you are giving back to the community.
It is easy to find local projects that need help and they are often looking for willing volunteers. It is an easy way to enter into another community if you retire away from friends or family.
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Why Its Important To Keep Busy When Retired
While retirement is generally a happy time in life, there are risks you should be aware of. Leaving work sometimes causes people to become less active and social, which can negatively affect health.
Research from the Institute of Economic Affairs in 2013 found that pensioners face an increased likelihood of developing physical and mental ailments. This was partly due to ageing, but also because retired people are more likely to be lonely or inactive.
This means that staying busy and social as a retiree is vital to reduce the risk of any physical and mental illnesses. Keeping your body moving and maintaining relationships will help to protect your health and quality of life.
To help get you to do this, Lottie has created a list of 47 things to do in retirement. Read on to discover more about the importance of making your retirement a fulfilling time and to gain inspiration on hobbies you could take up
