We asked older retirees in their 80s to share their best advice for those planning to retire soon.
Their insights are packed with wisdom and practical tips:
1. Find Something to Retire To
“You should find something you’ve always loved doing but couldn’t turn into a career, or something you’ve been curious about and want to try without the pressure of a full-time job.
I learned that people who retire to something are usually much happier than those who just retire from something.
It’s also really important to stay social. Leaving work means losing a big part of your daily interaction with others.
You should look for ways to stay connected, maybe through sports, games, volunteering, or even a part-time job that gets you around people.”
– Daniel Roberts
2. Consider Getting a Dog
“I’m not retired yet, but I know people who are, and one piece of advice I’ve seen make a big difference is:
Get a dog.
Pets can bring so much joy, purpose, and companionship to your life, especially during retirement.” – Sarah Miller
3. Own Your Home
“When I was younger, I noticed something about my parents and their retired friends:
Those who owned their homes outright were much better off than those who rented.
During my working years, I owned a house with a 1/4-acre yard.
While I appreciated it at the time, I realized that maintaining a house and property wasn’t something I wanted to keep up with in retirement.
Now, I own a condo outright, no mortgage. Sure, there are condo fees, but they cover all the little things I used to have to manage myself. It’s been a great balance for me.”
– Linda Parker
4. Your Health is Your Retirement Foundation
“Stay healthy! Make an effort to eat a balanced diet and stay active.
There’s no joy in retirement if you’re not feeling your best.
Taking care of your health now will make those golden years much more enjoyable.”
– Mark Davis
5. Plan Your Travel Bucket List by Season
“If you’re planning to travel in retirement:
Make a bucket list and organize it by the best time of year to visit each destination.
This way, you can make the most of your trips and avoid bad weather or off-seasons.”
– Susan Taylor
6. Stay Tech-Savvy, It’s Worth It
“Make an effort to learn and keep up with technology. My sister has severe physical disabilities, and the hardest part isn’t the disabilities themselves, it’s the isolation they’ve caused.
She can’t travel or even use a phone to stay in touch with family.
The Internet could have been a lifeline for her to connect with loved ones, but she never learned how to use it, and now it’s too late.
She doesn’t have the energy, focus, or the one-on-one help she’d need to catch up.
Please, for your own sake, stay up-to-date with communication technology.”
– Michael Carter
7. Find an Active Hobby You Love
“Keep up with, or start, a hobby that gets you moving and out of the house.
My personal favorite is geocaching.
It’s perfect for all ages, so you can enjoy it alone or with kids, parents, and even grandkids whenever you want.”
– Karen Mitchell
8. Test Your Retirement Budget
“For three years before we retired, we lived entirely on what our retirement income would be.
It helped us make sure we’d be okay financially.
We saved all the extra money during that time. It was a great way to prepare and build a cushion.”
– Robert Hayes
9. Stay Active with Running or Hiking
“Running or hiking is an amazing way to stay healthy, connect with nature, and boost your mental well-being.
Plus, it’s fun and easy to make part of your daily or weekly routine.”
– Emily Harper
10. Start Your Hobbies Early
“The best non-financial advice I can give is:
Start working on your retirement hobbies now, rather than waiting.
This is especially true if it’s something that requires learning a new skill, you’ll enjoy it much more if you’re already confident by the time you retire.”
– John Bennett
11. Take a Retirement Planning Class
“My wife and I took a retirement planning class at a local college, it was just 3 or 4 sessions taught by a financial advisor.
Even though we already knew most of the material, we still got some great ideas.
One big takeaway was learning about the benefits of a Roth IRA.
I’d always preferred a traditional IRA, but after that class, I shifted my focus to Roth IRAs, and I’m so glad I did!”
– Tom Edwards
12. Prepare for the Emotional Transition
“Retirement is a big transition, and it’s not just about the money.
For many, it’s about finding a new sense of purpose or adjusting to a change in social standing.
You might feel like you’ve lost part of your identity when you stop working, especially if you were respected in your career.
In retirement, no one in the produce aisle is going to care about your old job title. It’s something to be ready for.”
– Steve Grant
13. Living Simply is the Real Luxury
“We used to keep up with the Joneses, living in a house way bigger than we needed, driving multiple new cars, and buying all the toys.
Looking back, it was such a waste.
Now in retirement, we live in a much smaller, paid-off house and drive late-model, used cars.
I often think about all the money we wasted on stuff and the interest we paid.
Now, we owe nothing to anyone, and life is so much better this way.” – Dave Wilson
These 13 pieces of advice might just transform how you approach retirement.