People may have vastly different ideas of what retirement is like today and what it might look like tomorrow. The rhythm of employment and careers has changed over the decades and that affects plans all over the country.
Some seniors are working at new part or full time careers in places where they super-size your order. The days of selling the home and trading equity for cash and a decked out RV to drive across the country are mostly gone.
The boomer generation did not wait for retirement years to get a fully loaded RV and park it outside the house where they were still raising a family. Their idea was to use it for the family vacations before all the kids moved out. This generation produced income their parents could not imagine.
There is a guy in our neighborhood that has found a way to make money online and it has changed his life. He was living on his pension and staying fairly close to home to conserve his savings for the remainder of his years.
Now he races by my house on his black motorcycle with his matching black helmet and jacket to meet his friends for a weekend riding trip. He has extra income from his computer ventures which did not exist when he first entered the workforce.
His wife writes content articles for fun and profit. She has a penchant for collectible furniture, home decor accents, and home storage solutions. Her knack for communicating online has supplemented their income in ways they never imagined.
We met a couple that was in charge of a popular campground on the shore of a destination lake. They live in the south but spend their summers up north ensuring campers enjoy the site, treat it with respect, and are safe. They plan to continue this practice for the people and the money.
Many people with free time fill the gaps in a community by volunteering at non-profit groups in various capacities. We know of a couple that represent a well known civic group at conferences around the country because they no longer have a committed work schedule.
They learned that couples with free time should prepare to take those opportunities for travel and participation when they are offered. They will tell you that it adds zest to life to do something important and make new friends in the process.
We know that young and old alike have the potential to make millions on the world wide web and others will struggle after retirement working at another job to make ends meet. It is vital to be open to the changes that have happened and the ones that will come.
The ability to stretch our skills, gain fresh knowledge, and put it to use have never been easier to access and implement. Experienced post career people will tell you to keep an open mind to possibilities that match your health and skill set.