While you might only be twenty-something-or-other, the chances are that the current Covid-19 pandemic has brought what is important to you into sharp focus. While you may have been concerned about your job, money and a luxury lifestyle, you may now be more focused on quality family time, your freedoms and caring for others.
When you are young, you rarely consider what life might be like in your twilight years. However, you can never prep too early for your retirement. By looking into your finances, lifestyle choices and living arrangements now, you can be more certain of a safe, happy and fulfilling retirement when you are old and gray. Take a look at these simple strategies you can employ now to prepare for a gentler pace of life.
Finances
Pensions can be a bit of a minefield for even the most intelligent of laypeople. It can be difficult to forecast the sort of lump sum you may be in line for when you finally pack your laptop away and leave the office for the final time in your life. You also don’t even know if you’ll have the same career in twenty years’ time. You might choose to leave employment to have a go at launching your own venture. While it can be tricky to work out exactly how much you can expect for your retirement, you can at least get a ballpark figure. An independent financial adviser with a specialism in pensions is the best person to call upon to help you work out what you could expect in your twilight years. If you feel like the monthly pension is too low, you need to save.
Saving a proportion of your salary each month can be the perfect way to top up your retirement fund. This can go straight into a savings account, or you might want to siphon off an amount to an investment portfolio. If you fancy doing this, make sure that you have a regulated adviser to help you spread and manage your financial risk.
Your Family
When thinking about your twilight years, you inevitably consider your own mortality. Thinking about your nearest and dearest when you depart the Earth can be upsetting, but knowing that you have looked after them financially can ease the discomfort. Think about the estate planning that you will need to work out to allow your future children to receive inheritances. Who will get the house? Who will receive your heirlooms? It can be a complicated process so you might want the advice of a financial advisor or lawyer to help you draw up some documentation.
Health
If you have spent the past two or three months snacking a little more, becoming a little less active and you’ve seen your waistline increase a tad, now is the time to nip the unhealthy habits in the bud. Coronavirus has made us confront our anxieties and many people have chosen food as the crutch to help them. You need to banish the sugary snacks, the fat-laden food and the candy, and commit yourself to a healthier and more nutritious diet. This doesn’t mean gravitating towards the cabbage soup diet, or the Slimfast shakes. You need a lifestyle change to help you live to a ripe old age.
Don’t forget to be as active as you can. Many older people struggle with their mobility because they never went to the gym or had an exercise regime. While you might not be training for a marathon and you can’t bear the thought of a HIIT class, take long walks in the park, enjoy the outdoors and don’t remain sedentary. Instead of scrolling through Facebook every day in the evening for three hours at a time, go for a jog, head out on your bike or just take a stroll to the park. By being physically active, your mental health also benefits.
If you want to hit your twilight years with all of your faculties, ensure that you stay mentally fit and active. Do a puzzle or two a day, read books and complete some brain training exercises. Keep talking to your nearest and dearest, laugh, listen and have fun with others. Being social is a crucial facet of character development, happiness and good mental health. By having these habits, you can be happier in your retirement.
While your twilight years may feel like a lifetime away, it will soon creep up on you if you don’t begin preparing now. Start saving, get your finances in order and consider revolutionizing your health to ensure that you enjoy a happy and fulfilling retirement.
