What Do I Do Now That I’m Retired? – Life Edition

Retirement is about so much more than having enough money saved to live on. You want to enjoy your retirement—and that also takes planning. We all know the trope of the retiree who spends their days on the golf course, which is certainly fun, but it can’t fill up every hour of every day. We encourage you to think about what you might do now that you’re retired in new ways so that you’re truly getting the most out of the time.

Retirement is the perfect time to do or learn that thing you’ve always wanted. Maybe you won’t go back and get a degree, but it’s often easy and cheap (and sometimes free) to enroll in classes at a local community college or recreational center. You could start a book club, or attend seminars at a local library, take cooking classes, or join a community garden. All of these are low stakes ways to keep your mind sharp and keep building new skills.

You might decide to start a podcast, which is a growing medium that is easy enough to start and publish. If you get really into it, there are plenty of ways to start making money off podcasts as well. Podcasting seems hard, but you have things you’d want to share with the world. Start a blog or write a book—even if it’s just for your family.

Giving back to your community can also be a wonderful way to spend retirement. Volunteer at a school, church, or other organization you care about within your community. Donate money, start a free little library or community pantry, or offer to walk the neighbor’s dog when they’re at work. All of these small actions can be fulfilling.

Just like you review your financial plan each you, we encourage you to review your retirement life plan as well. We suggest making a list of things to do each year and challenge yourself to check off each list before the start of the next year. Doing this will keep you happy, active, and fulfilled making that retirement more enjoyable.