Retirement Budgeting
by Julie Grenness
(Australia)
This is our noble and essential planning, retirement budgeting. But in the past little while, all our best-laid budgets have been tested. In reality, petrol (gas), food and drinks have increased by over fifty percent in price.
As I am a retired older lady, I drive a suitable car. It is neat, sweet and petite. It can be considered totally economical. We are all now shuddering at the bowser (gas station?). Lots of people my age now rethink unnecessary car travel. Personally, I plan to do several tasks on each trip.
Fuel prices have soared since the Ukrainian armed conflict. One friend told me yesterday that she and her husband now only travel once per week in their larger car. That is all they can afford.
Gone these days are their Sunday drives across the suburbs to visit their family and grandchildren. Her husband drives once per week to do the supermarket shopping, and she travels weekly to our craft group at church. That is it. I wonder if we should have free public transport here.
The supermarket this week has been a little shop of horrors. My circle of quality friends are all remarking on the price increases. One male phone buddy complained that even a tin of dog food for his pet had doubled in cost.
Budgeting in retirement today is a concern for us all. Two friends of mine are trying to sell their caravans. Being a grey nomad is no longer realistic or affordable for them. Not many of us dine in restaurants anymore, and have cancelled Uber eats. All too expensive, and made us fat.
These are trivial first-world non-issues. Some retirees are ‘into’ growing vegetables, and breeding backyard chickens, aiming for sustainability. Others are working online at home, doing zoomers for boomers.
These days, retirement is a challenge due to the rising costs in daily living. We can cook lentil broth, and focus on what we can afford. At least my old jeans now fit me again. Reuse!
Retired people no longer browse around shopping centres, looking for bargains. Indeed, some of the population are heading to pawn shops to access cash.
So far, the retired folk are still here, reining in spending and approaching hermit lifestyles. How are you budgeting in retirement today?
