My Second Birthday Retired Reflects Two Years Of Great Living!

[caption id="attachment_520" align="alignleft" width="317"] My Second Birthday Retired[/caption]

I'm making a short post to say that my second birthday retired has been a great day already!  Everyday has been extra special since we retired so it's hard to center upon this one day.  Being retired is like having a birthday everyday, but we'll go out of town and do something different.

I promised myself when I was in my twenties that I would never let age bother me and it hasn't for the most part.  Sometimes I catch myself thinking that if I could go back in time with what I know now I'd be a better parent or I would do some things differently, but that's all wasted thinking!  So I just move on and let the past go.  It doesn't exist any longer anyway.

However, what does exist is the present moment, so I'll enjoy every moment of my birthday, and take a little time to ponder that I'm actually 66 years old.  It doesn't seem like it, but it's true!  Happy birthday to me!  And thank you family for the visit and special cake (not the one in the photo)!

Announcement For My Fitness Book Review

[caption id="attachment_448" align="alignleft" width="278"] Fitness Book Review[/caption]

I wanted to announce my fitness book review for Old School New Body.written by Steve and Becky Holman.  It's a clever title because it clearly explains what the book is about.  It's an accumulation of all the "old school" fitness programs that worked, all rolled into one and blended to create a new series of exercises. Utilized only 90 minutes a week, they give absolutely amazing results.

This is a book that has taken my husband and I to a new level of fitness.  Now that we're retired, we needed an extra boost to get back into shape after losing our home gym when we moved to an apartment.

Old School New Body proves that one doesn't have to spend a fortune and huge amounts of time in a gym to get great results.  You can be in the privacy of your own home working out for very little time to get the kind of results you've always wanted.

My Book review for Old School New Body is now complete.  Please go to my review section to find out how it's helping my husband and I make amazing progress in our fitness and eating habits now that we're retired.  We were looking for a plan or program that would help us organize our free time for exercise and better understand nutrition for good health.  This product has met all of our goals and more.   ------> Go to my fitness book review.

Grandchildren Visit Days Are As Good As You Make Them!

Today I've set aside the day for spending time with 3 of my grandchildren.  They're all boys as you can see in the photo taken two weeks ago at my 5 year old grandson's birthday party.  Each of them is very different, yet they're all wonderful!  However they're still boys and they're still children--meaning that they have lots of energy and a need for much activity when they're not reading or playing games.

I've found that it's much easier to be a grandparent when it comes to controlling children than when I was a parent.  I think it's probably because I'm sure of what I'm doing now that I'm older.  With my grandchildren I'm able to keep my personality out of whatever discipline I have to administer which is very rare.

If you're a grandparent and you dread having them visit because it's hard to control them, it's really not that difficult if you get to know them better and let them get to know you.  Sometimes you have to get to know children enough for them to have positive feelings about you.  Then they won't want to make you feel badly about their poor behavior.  And as I've learned, there are ways to get children to behave without spanking--in fact it makes one more creative.

I learned with my first grandchild something that has worked with all 7 others when they were very small.  It came in handy, especially when two siblings were fighting or they got mad a me for some reason.  I could make them quickly switch from being very unhappy to laughing in less than a minute.  I would simply say that I was sorry for how they felt and hugged them.  Then I'd say that I know that deep down they're really happy.  I'd coax them into laughing and after than they'd be back to a happy mood.  Actually, I found that not spanking children makes it easier to understand why they're upset and gives the adult more understanding about their feelings.

Another thing you can do if you have time to prepare ahead is to arrange activities for each child according to personality.  When my oldest daughter had her three little one's, my husband and I took each child out separately for a special day arranged according to their personality and what they liked to do.  Every trip we took was a great time and we never had a problem--especially with just one child.

When my grandchildren arrive later today, my husband is taking the two older boys out for a game of golf while the 5 year old and I read together, talk about school (he'll be starting kindergarten in the fall), play or watch a movie.  Then we'll all have lunch when the others return.  We do the best we can to make grandchildren visit days special because looking back at the time I spent with two of my grandparents was very special.   If you're a grandparent, it's never too late to make your grandchildren visit days memorable so that they give your grandchildren times they'll never forget.  And they'll never forget you!

 

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Budgeting For Travel, Special Events and Holidays

While I realize that there is tons of information about budgeting for retirement, I wanted to help those people who want to travel but just don't believe they have the money to save.  I believe in the old trite expression, "if there's a will there's a way!"  YOU CAN DO IT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO!

[caption id="attachment_356" align="alignleft" width="300"] Budgeting For Travel[/caption]

I've just started a series about travel that can help you organize a plan for traveling right now or budgeting for a trip in the future.  My site is only a few days old as of this writing, so I decided to work on my travel information first since it's summer.  However the information can be used all year round.

If you haven't been a constant traveler you'll also learn about the various means of travel and how each can best fit with your travel plans while saving money at the same time.  What I like about the series is that is will help you break down what type of vacation you wish to take, how you'll accomplish it and how much it will cost so that you can either save for it or take it right now!  So visit my travel section and watch for my new additions.

Now, getting back to my travel budget.  I've included it below.  Budgets are all pretty much the same, however, it's just a matter of including different areas for saving money after you've listed all of your monthly expenses.   The main purpose of a budget is to take control of your money and in so doing, you will be able to take control of many aspects of your life.  In this case budgeting for travel will empower you to have the ability to go places as an aspect of life enjoyment.

We should desire to be in control of our money to make it what we want it to be, but we just leave our money to chance.  Not very smart of us, is it?  That's why we need a financial budget to help us meet our goals and take control of our money.

 

Budgeting For Travel In Agreement

Before you begin your budget, first go to my section on travel.  My information will help you decide where you want to go and how much it will cost you.  Then you'll be ready to create your budget.  If you have a spouse, you should make this financial budget together. Sit down and figure out what your joint financial goals are for traveling.  Then plan your financial route to get to that goal. Every journey begins with one step, and the first step to attaining your goals is to make a realistic budget that both of you can live with while "budgeting for travel."

A budget should never be a financial starvation diet. That won’t work for the long haul. Make reasonable allocations for food, clothing, shelter, utilities and insurance and set aside a reasonable amount for entertainment now.  Savings should always come first before any spending.  If you're a Christian, financial giving will come first.

Even a small amount saved will help you reach your long term and short term financial goals.   I'll be providing you with budget information shortly in my travel section so you can watch for that in the coming days if you need extra help.  You can also find many budget forms on the internet. Just use any search engine you choose and type in "free budget forms."  Print one out and work on it with your spouse. Both of you will need to be happy with the final result and feel like your financial budget as well as your budgeting for travel is something you can stick to.

So as you can see, budgeting is no mystery and you've probably budgeted most of your life.  Budgeting for travel is just a facet of taking control over your money to get what you want.

 

 

Are You Spiritually Retirement Ready?  If Not, It's Time To Look Within!

[caption id="attachment_318" align="alignleft" width="300"] Spiritually Retirement Ready[/caption]

In this post I want to share the most important part of my retirement.   Even though my husband and I weren't financially ready to retire as far as meeting the long-terms goals we had set, we were both spiritually retirement ready.

While I don't intent to impose my Christian beliefs on anyone since no one can be forced to believe in anything that stems from the heart, I want to at least share the side of our retirement that helped us to rebuild during a difficult time of transition.   We had absolutely no short-term goals for retirement except for plans to travel when we had more time.

Here are two quotes which represent two relevant points of view about retirement that are both important to retirement planning, but I want to focus upon the second quote by Betty Sullivan.

 

On the subject of being financially retirement ready. 

• George Foreman:  The question isn't at what age I want to retire, it's at what income.

On the subject of being spiritually retirement ready:

• Betty Sullivan:  There is a whole new kind of life ahead, full of experiences just waiting to happen. Some call it "retirement." I call it bliss.

 

Looking Within For Becoming Spiritually Retirement Ready

Becoming spiritually retirement ready means that you're looking within first when evaluating your retirement experience, rather than allowing the simple joys of retirement become obscured by any thoughts of money. If you base every experience you have upon how much money you have or don't have, then you're controlled by money rather than you being the one in control.

Betty Sullivan expresses retirement exactly how I see it.  It's a great blessing that I want to embrace instead of tainting it with negative thinking that won't make a difference in any way for positive circumstances to occur.

To get the most of this part of your life, you have to be able to separate yourself and your spiritual experiences from money, whether you have a lot of a little.   You may believe that you're only as good as how much money you have, but that only diminishes your true worth.  You should see yourself as a person who is priceless.  It's hard to change belief systems, but if you want to enjoy the free time you have and the beauty around you, then you have to spend some time separated from money thoughts.

When you take the time to appreciate simple things like a rose or trying to identify the shape of a cloud without one thought about your money situation, you're actually clearing your mind for productive thinking that will bring you a greater outlook on life and about yourself.

I'll be speaking more on this subject in future posts so I hope you sign up for my RSS.

 

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Before You Plan On Retiring With A Pet, Think Carefully First!

[caption id="attachment_112" align="alignleft" width="300"] Retiring With A Pet[/caption]

Two of my favorite pets were bunnies.  One white for my daughter and the other one black for me.  I took special care of them everyday and then they had babies. Lots and lots of babies! That was a sad experience! It's hard to tell a bunny's sex so we thought that we had two boys.  Needless to say we woke one morning to babies bunnies everywhere just barely breathing.  We got on the Internet and learned how to keep them warm and revive them, but it was too late.  One by one each baby bunny died.

That experience brings to mind other eventful experiences with pets.  Such as taking the word of the person selling dogs that the animal we wanted had the qualities we were looking for such as a pet that doesn't shed, when in reality it sheds as a part of the breed it was.  I also think about my mother and my husband's mother both receiving dogs as presents after their husbands died.  Both women kept their dogs and experienced great inconvenience and resentment of their pets. Neither women knew anything about the breed of dogs they had which made their experience worse.

Having a pet doesn't have to be a nightmare and it shouldn't!  If we think about being responsible pet owners before we even get a pet, then in most cases pet ownership will be a blessing and not a curse! If you don't already have a pet and are thinking about getting one I have some important tips for you to think about first.  Many social service agencies advice that retiring with a pet is important to inner well-being and good health, but this isn't always the case.  It can also cause you great inconvenience, especially if you live in an apartment or are in poor health.

 

Using Wisdom When Retiring With A Pet

If you don't already have a pet and you're thinking of getting one, read my list below which gives advice for retiring with a pet dog or cat.  It will help you get past your emotions to a place of wisdom.

1.   Never walk into a pet store vulnerable to puppies and kittens. My husband and I did this for our last dog.  We got the most adorable puppy!  I can still see him sitting in the corner of his kennel while all the other puppies were playing and biting his tail.  He looked as if he needed a rescue, but when I held him in my arms that was it!  He was mine!  I didn't even ask what breed he was.  How stupid is that!  This is called purchasing a pet on 100% emotion.

[caption id="attachment_156" align="alignright" width="168"] My Dog Sammy[/caption]

I still have Sammy and love him, but if I had known about the Maltese breed, I wouldn't have purchased him.  His hair kept growing and never stopped. I soon realized that he needed regular grooming--which can be expensive.  We could afford it, but I'd rather spend that money on a child or someone in need rather than a grooming session for a pet.  I don't spend that kind of money on myself or my husband for grooming--we take care of ourselves.  However, we've learned how to deal with the problem.  We decided that spending money on a local groomer once every few months helps to support local business.  His groomer keeps his hair short so that in between grooming visits we bathe him and take care of minor grooming needs.

There are worse stories about buying pets on emotion, but I won't get into them. This type of purchase can only go badly for the pet. If this happens to you, please find a way to get a good home for your pet.  We have a chain of stores here called Pet Smart and every Tuesday they have a rescue and adoption program.  When adopting a pet they insure that they will find a good owner and appropriate home for the dog.  There are also rescue shelters.

2.   This tip is very simple.  If you're thinking about getting a pet go on the Internet and look up the different breeds of animals you'd like for a pet. Take into consideration where you'll be living in the future.   If you're staying with someone you have to get their permission as well for the pet.  Match the breed of the animal to your living conditions, your health and your financial ability to care for it properly.

3.   Once you decide on a specific breed of animal or a few breeds, look up their information to find out about temperament, care and expense.  If you still want a pet, you can make an educated and wise decision based upon what's best for your living conditions.

4.   Retiring with a pet isn't always easy.  Again, match your dog to where you live.  With apartments you have to walk dogs throughout the day and make sure to clean up after them.  With a home you'll have to clean up the yard and protect your pet against poison plants, dangerous tools, holes in fences and more.  If you decide upon retiring with a pet such as a cat, you won't have to take it out, but you'll have to insure that it doesn't damage your home or apartment. You'll need to purchase kitty litter and scratching posts.

5.    Decide how much money you want to pay for a pet. Do you want a full-breed pet or a mixed breed pet? Free pets usually grow into adulthood differently than what the owner claims. See the parents of the animals first.

6.    Decide if you wish to purchase a baby or a full-growth pet.  For dogs I advise a puppy if you have the time to potty-train.  Kittens are easy to train with a litter box.

7.    If you're currently in poor health, wait to get a pet until you're feeling better unless you have someone willing to care for it 24/7 while you heal.

8.    Make sure that you'll have appropriate space for your pet and all the equipment you'll need such as crates or kennels, beds, grooming equipment and so forth.

9.    If you get a dog and don't know how to train it, find a place such as your local pet shelter or dog rescue.   Large pet stores also offer this service.

10.  Only purchase your dog from a reputable dog breeder.  When you purchase from a pet store you run the risk of getting a dog in poor health or that has been inbred. The same goes for private owners

11.   Be prepared to purchase food that will keep your pet in good health.  However, you don't need to go overboard. But make sure you can properly take care of your pet!

12.  Purchase pet insurance if you have little money for pet health.  It can be devastating to lose a pet because you don't have money for health problems.  Also your local humane society offers inexpensive and quality pet health care.

13.   Retiring with a pet may not be what you really want.  So before you purchase a pet, dog or cat sit for someone else's pet first and see if it will fit in with your new phase of life.

 

Retiring With A Pet May Not Be For You!

[caption id="attachment_171" align="alignleft" width="150"] Try The Cold Blooded Kind![/caption]

Retiring with a pet can be a big responsibility so take your time and do your homework in order to make a wise choice for yourself and a considerate choice for your pet. There's no need to rush into making such an important decision that can affect the quality of your life.   If it's not feasible to get a soft and furry pet, you can always get a cold-blooded pet, a fine feathered friend or a hamster.  Or maybe a pet isn't for you.  You may instead decide to do something else to take up your time such as creating a garden, collecting different species of bugs, photography or any other activity you can enjoy.

 

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