Prepping for retirement

[Allthroughthenight23]

Hi, I am mid 50's and dh is approaching 60. We are both planning to retire within the next 5 years. We nearly have the mortgage paid off and plan to stay in our modest house for the foreseeable. We have a flat garden and a large greenhouse. Just considering what things we can prep in the next few years to ease the transition from working full time to retirement? Primarily thinking about how we can make the house future proof and maintain our health and well-being into the next chapter rather than financial planning which will be a whole other thread. Would love to hear what others have done/are doing to prepare for retirement? All ideas welcome!

Downstairs loo.

I sort of retired this year (She Who Should Be Obeyed wont let me retire) but my private pension arrived and I paid off the mortgage so I can be more choosier on which jobs I take.

So, in no particular order I would advice push the stretching / mobility exercises. I tend to go swimming at lest 3 times a week.

Get active, hobby, volunteer work, does not matter so long as it keeps you busy, active and extra brownie points if it involves time with other people.

Look after your feet. seriously good foot health is vital. Mobility = life especially as we get older. bad feet stop us moving, feet swell, infection sets in, causing problems for the heart, result poor circulation effects the brain. We stagnate and the body goes into shut down mode. I want quality of life not quantity, hence swimming, stretching and two very fit dogs.

I'd say have something constructive lined up - DH took early retirement in the summer, and despite having a course lined up that started late September and out socialising a lot in the day, he said he felt a bit lost to start with.

My amazing Grandma would not have classed herself as a prepper but she was! She didnt work after she had my Mum but when my Grandad was planning his retirement many moons ago she started a "bottom drawer". It was filled with things like bedding, towels, tea towels, dishcloths, lightbulbs, socks etc and was kept in a big chest of drawers in the box room. I now have that chest of drawers which we stripped of its many layers of green and white paint in my lounge. I would consider house maintenance, do you need new windows, doors or a new boiler? Is your bathroom accessible with a walking frame and do you have a seperate shower and a downstairs loo. Perhaps install some raised beds in the garden so that you can continue to grow your own food without having to bend down or do lots of heavy digging.

Do you have good insulation (loft etc) and efficient heating?

If you have a garage, I'd consider installing one of those electric car battery chargers that can trickle charge the car for those days/weeks when you don't go anywhere in it once you're not heading out to work regularly, particularly in winter when batteries struggle. When your car won't start it's a right faff.

I come on MN to avoid misogynistic name calling from men towards their wives.

It's very common on male-dominated fora. This is not the place for it.

lucky bastards yall
Just been watching something good about the blue zones on netflix. I know that at 60, living to 90 is on the long finger but it was interesting, attitudes to work in okinawa, sardinia, ikalia, info about food, a passion, working hard in short bursts, walking uphill, sitting around with friends. I liked it. binge watched them all.

I'm mid sixties now and retired a few years. Single no kids. I absolutely love retirement, and can't figure out how I worked for 40 years! But I did.

Two years pre retirement (early exit), I opted for a three day week. This worked really well for me as it got me used to more free time and also to a reduced income! I had the mortgage paid off anyway thankfully. It taught me how to budget for a lower pension income which reassured me lots as it was easy.

I had savings, so I used that to replace windows, change my car (still using the same one as I have little mileage to do now), change the boiler, and best of all, install a downstairs shower room. I also got rid of the bath upstairs to a walk in shower. I can now live downstairs if necessary and my carer if needed in the future can live upstairs. Future proofed as I have no obvious potential carer if the time ever comes. Future proofing is a good thing.

I keep active and walk every single day apart from Sunday which is my lazy day. A bit of daily exercise is important, even if I don't feel like going out I do. Social interraction is also important but I am not a joiner of things, and am a bit quiet and shy TBH, so I love my own company but honestly am never lonely. Have good family (siblings, nephews nieces, cousins) support which I am very lucky to have.

Everyone is different, some need to be out and about doing things and volunteering or climbing Snowdon every weekend, others are happy not to do that. Do not feel pressurised into feeling you HAVE to be busy. You don't, you were busy all your life!

As per previous posts- I would recommend you view your house from a perspective of having future mobility issues ( could be arthritis related/ stroke/ recovering from illness/ cancer treatments) - you do not know what path your health and independence will take in your later years.
One of the most beneficial things you can consider is what you do if stairs become an issue.
If able have a downstairs toilet and shower room ( larger cubicle that can accommodate a seat and wall mounted grab rails if needed). The toilet is of major benefit as it needs you do not have to go up and down the stairs all day and also stops the need for a commode.
Consider a second stair rail which is in keeping with your decor.
Consider if needed, if the downstairs environment is conducive for a bed / bedroom.
What is the access to the front door like ? Steep/ slippery steps that could be remodelled?
what so the garden like - pathways etc.
It may sound depressing but if you/ partner does experience / disability later in life you will have a quicker and less stressful discharge from hospital if you have an environment which is zimmer friendly.
Our neighbour decided before retiring did the bigger costly things in the house to avoid financial stresses when on a lower income e.g replaced old boiler, changed double glazing, got roof reviewed. Redesigned garden so less lawn, more shrubs.
Do need to have income for hobbies and activities - I know many retired who have embraced regular gym / swimming as part of routine and well being and this does incur costs.

I'm already looking forward to going 80% when I turn 60. Will have to keep thtat up for 7 years so I'll deserve it. I was going to take monday off but then I thought in terms of scheduling in walks and exercise, I think taking Wednesdays off would be nice. Have you any recommendations!? @lesdeluges

We had solar panels and a battery installed last year. One of the unseen benefits is that during the winter when there is very little solar we have been able to charge our battery overnight 7.5p/kwh and our house uses that during the day rather than paying the day rate of 29p/kwh from the grid. We also have an electric car which is charged overnight. We spend less now on electricity for a whole month than we spent on petrol for a week. Might be worth considering.

also if you’ve got the space set up a fruit/veg garden. If you get fruit bushes/trees in now they will be productive by the time you retire.

Tuesday! It always makes for an extra long Bank holiday weekend. Friday is also an option for similar reasons, although I found Fridays at work to be rather enjoyable as all the young ones went shopping at lunch time and we had some laughs looking at their purchases. Friday was also social night, and although I am a quiet sort, I did go to some after work events on Friday evenings and enjoyed a lovely end to the week.

I worked Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. That meant SUPER long bank holiday weekends as I was off Tuesday and Friday along with the Bank Holiday Monday!

I'd consider replacing your bath for a large walk in shower.

Downstairs loo if you don't have one.

My MiL replaced her very old cooker, fridgefreezer, boiler and radiators with thermostats before she stopped working. She had a new carpet in her sitting room too.

I think possibly reducing work to 3 days a week before giving up completely. You can use the days off to build up new hobbies and interests.

Thank you to everyone for the ideas - keep them coming! I am reading every one and making notes. Lots of things I haven't thought of. We currently do have a downstairs toilet, don't know if it would be big enough to become a shower room but could investigate. Like the idea of improving the house now when we still have some disposable income. @ChanelNo19EDT I also binge watched the Netflix series - found it fascinating. I currently work a 4 day week - having Fridays off means a long weekend every weekend, however I also think that a Wed off would be good as you'd never have to work more than 2 days in a row.

Things we did (over a period of a few years) prior to retirement year:
Checked out a bit of damp in an extension - this led to damp proof treatment
Changed bath to walk in shower
Had roof re-done
Fencing panels - re done with concrete posts / new panels rather than weaker wooden posts
Looked at stair lifts to see if we needed one, would it fit / be viable
Looked at price of bungalows to see was it worth moving from a house with stairs, to a bungalow (we decided not to)
Windows, doors were renewed
And just about to change over from rather old cooker and gas hob, to electric cooker / hob

We also spent a fair bit of time doing the "what if" game to try to think widely about what might be a concern and how would we deal with it if so.

@Coldupnorth7 well said