Hey there friends! I’m just quickly checking in to share a collaborative post with you all. I plan to get back on here today with a post written by yours truly, but for now, thanks for reading all of my posts and for supporting this blog!
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Many people are never too sure about the prospect of getting older. We can all be too involved with the here and now to really care about what may happen to us as we get older. But as each year passes, the wrinkles start to set in around the eyes and on the frown, and literally, you just don’t know where the time has gone. But what it does do is start you thinking about those golden years. The time in your life when working is no longer a priority, where routine will play a big part of your day, and your health and well-being becomes your focus. So what do you do? Get scared of the prospect of old age? No!Getting older isn’t a bad thing.
It is a given that we are all going to get older and wiser as each year passes and the start of a new year only highlights that point even more. But with some preparation now and plans for the future you can learn to actually look forward to this stage of your life. Not that you should ever be encouraged not to live in the moment, but still, it’s a fact of life. Here are some of the things you can do or think about right now to prepare you for the later years in life.
Image source – pixabay – cco license
Be clever with your finances
Your financial situation may not be at its best right now. You may love to hit the sales too often or can’t resist the opportunity of a night on the town. There is nothing wrong with that, after all, life is for living. But it is equally as important to start setting a little aside for the future. A small amount each week or month that could be the equivalent of one night out or one pair of shoes could be the start of it. Other things to consider would be long-term investments such as getting on the property ladder when you can. This can often be a goal for many as they look towards making some routes and settling down as they get older. You could also look at saving any extra income you earn through career promotions, etc. It might be that you look at pension plans or long term savings investments. The more you do early on in life, the better position you will be in when it comes to the later years in your life and being able to continue with the lifestyle that you will have grown accustomed to.
Make plans for your health and well-being
You do have to at least think about what you might want to do when it comes to your health and well-being in the future. There are independent living care options you might want to explore, or what you may like to happen if your health deteriorated. Some of the things you have to think about are not always ideal thoughts, but it is always best to have a plan for those “just in case” moments. The more you discuss this with important close ones, partners and children even, the better position you will be in for when that stage in life comes. There will always be a time in your life where you might need to rely on others for care, and this might not be something you want family or children to have to deal with.
Research some of the ways you can remain independent
On the subject of independent living, you can start to think about what you may want to happen if you can stay in your home. Perhaps, researching ways you can adapt your home, or remain independent by wearable technology. Things like that will be far more available as the years go on, and connections to our health with what we wear on our wrists like a watch and our smartphones is something that will happen. When you decide on something like your forever home, it might be that you choose to make the changes with that in mind.
Make plans for things like funerals
Another unpleasant thought would be a time in your families life when you are no longer around, and while it can be quite sobering to think about it, it is a good idea to have some sort of plan for your funeral, or a plan to pay for it when the time comes. You may want to think about things such as headstones by Memorials.com or what your wishes may be for burial of ashes. The more you can highlight your wishes now, the better position your family will be in for making those arrangements and dealing with the grief surrounding it.
Write a will as soon as you can and keep it updated
Sometimes we can be guilty of not thinking about important factors as we are too involved in living in the day to day. But as you get on in life, your financial situation changes, you acquire more assets and perhaps get married or have children. This is when a will is important to help you ascertain your estate and where things will go when you are no longer around. Again it might not always be the most pleasant thing to think about, but once it is done, it is just a matter of updating it when things change. Which is far less hassle and upheaval.
Write a bucket list
Finally, you may want to think about writing a bucket list right now of everything you want to see and do. Not just for your retirement but for your life moving forward. It is a great way to ensure that you make the most out of life. The start of the new year is always good for this. Having goals for the future, places you want to see and experiences you want to have can motivate you to keep on going.
Let’s hope this helps you to get prepared for the future.
