Many people find themselves in need of more money when they reach retirement. They find out they haven’t been saving much towards the ‘rainy day’ or those years when income is lower. In order to avoid waiting until it is too late, people must start saving for retirement early in life. More specifically, as soon as they get their first job is when saving should being.
There are a variety of ways people use to prepare for their retirement and make it manageable. For example, some workers join retirement annuity schemes as soon as they start work.They say the early bird catches the fat worm and they go on to say make hay whilst the sun lasts. These adages should guide them in their planning for the future.
People should also try to have a home in their early years of starting work so that they have ample time to pay for their mortgage and to save while they are still able bodied. Delaying children and raising a family does not necessarily serve retirement savings objectives well either. People are urged to start their families early so that by the time they come to retirement they won’t be having young kids and children in formal education. Having children in high school or university tend to put a strain on a retired couple’s budget.
By all means people should try to venture into a small business before they retire.This would enable them to have something to rely on in retirement and their ‘rainy day’. They should aim to venture into a project that keeps them occupied after retirement. For instance, buying a small plot for gardening purposes can generate some money for them, and at the same time give them some form of exercise and keep their mind busy. This may give them a new lease of life in retirement and at the same time allow for something tangible for their children’s future.
People nearing retirement might consider studying in a new educational program that can earn them some income at their own pace after retiring. For example, art, creative writing, photography and animal husbandry. They may never go wrong by studying any of these courses. If the worst comes to the worst such that they come to retirement without adequate funds to survive on, then they should try to get part time work or seasonal work. To get seasonal and part-time employment after retirement is not a sign of failure, but it is innovation at its best. It shows they are responsible and in control of their lives. They don’t want to be parasites or benefits scroungers.
People must not retire together with their brain. They should continue using their brain to earn a living, for this is good for their health too. An active mind can make them live longer after retirement. They should also try to use skills they have acquired over the years by volunteering their expertise in the community.