Ten steps to a good retirement

By Sue and Bill Davis

For the Salisbury Post

Bill and I retired about five years ago. We like to think we are successful at it. Perhaps the greatest benefit we have gained is satisfaction of being a part of the community. When you work, especially outside the area, there just is not time to become part of the give and take that make a community a home.

The 10 items in the list are the things that have helped us be part of our community.

1. Be prepared. Three to six months before retiring, begin keeping track of what you spend every day. Have a clear understanding of what you need to live on before you retire. One good exercise is to begin eliminating those items you purchase that are impulse and not necessary. This habit of controlled spending is important for your retirement success.

Being able to continue saving and understanding your real requirements for a happy and healthy life are important to living on a limited income while you have unlimited choices about how to use your time. If you find you cannot live on the income you have available, think about working a little longer or have a part-time job that you enjoy to make up the short fall. You are not retired if you have to worry every day where the money to pay your necessary expenses is going to come from.

2. Set goals. When you first begin to think about retirement, think about what you want to do with your new-found time and freedom. This can include getting education to do something you have always wanted to do like to paint portraits of you grandchildren, to run a mile, cycle, hike or to become involved in a community or church service group. This should be something fun that offers social and mental satisfaction. A good measurement for knowing when you have succeeded at a goal is to look at the number of new people in your life who offer friendship.

3. Investigate volunteer opportunities. This may not be for everyone. If you want to use your time to help other people, animals or organizations, write down what you would like to gain from the time and money you are going to invest in your volunteer activity. The first organization may not be the right one. Don't feel bad about backing away from being a volunteer in an organization if it becomes more like a job than a benefit of not having a job. Don't walk away from a commitment you have made, but begin to look at other areas and when the commitment is complete, move on.

The happiness and sense of accomplishment you feel from your volunteer work is the only compensation you are going to get. You are not a failure if you have to try several things before you find the best fit for you and the volunteer opportunity.

4. Look for free things to do in the community. There are lectures, entertainment and education chances in Rowan County. Some of them will be of interest. Explore the public library, the museums, art galleries, classes through parks and recreation, Rufty-Holmes Senior Center and your church.

5. Don't get in the habit of being alone. Talk to someone every day. The conversational part of your memory is important. Long term solitude can result in your ability to talk to another person to become difficult. It's also important to use your memory everyday. If you wake up at 7 a.m., recite the 7 times tables or alphabetize the letters in the day of the week. Sounds silly, but it's a way to wake up with your mind already working.

6. Don't say, "I can't." You can do anything you put your mind to. If you say you can't, you won't ever prove to yourself you can.

7. Be positive.8. Be spiritually sound.9. Eat well. It simply is not true that you can eat out for less than you can eat at home. Eat fresh foods, not ones from the deli, the freezer or from a can. The library has many cookbooks on cooking simple meals for one or two people. Don't think that baking a huge ham or turkey and eating it every day until it's gone is a cheap way. It's more boring than cheap and it's not balanced. Don't skip meals. Take time to pamper yourself with good eating habits. Did you know that the Farmers Market takes senior vouchers? From April to October, a weekly trip to the market is as much a social event as a shopping event.

10. Keep a schedule and have a routine. This may sound like work, but it is really a retirement survival technique. Before you put your feet on the floor, think about one or two things you have to accomplish today. Some retirees are list makers. Write down the items which you have committed to yourself or others do and get to fulfilling these items. There is great accomplishment in crossing off the things you have complete.

Keep yourself healthy, happy and financially sound. Follow current events; speak out about things that directly impact how you want your life to be. Take time to write your congressmen, councilmen and commissioners. Ask questions about anything that sounds too good to be true or too easy to be good for you.