Finding the best retirement place for you
The best places to retire are not the same for everyone, in fact your needs and preferences will best determine what are great retirement places for you. We will help you find the best place to retire in the near future. For now, we offer these articles about great retirement places and tips for finding the best places to retire. The content of these articles represents the view of the authors and not necessarily GreatRetirementPlaces.com. Enjoy!
Top Retirement Destinations and Advice
By Anna D. Banks
Since retirement means different things to different people, and everybody has differing ideas and priorities about how they want to live during this stage of their life, there is no single ideal retirement destination that will suit everyone. However, there are a few common factors that most retirees look for in a location they would consider relocating to, such as plentiful and varied recreation, affordable living costs, the availability of high quality health care facilities, low crime rates, safety, community services, good climate, beautiful landscapes, adequate transportation facilities, volunteer and work opportunities.
Although Arizona, Florida and Texas are still the most popular choice, but an increasing number of retirees are opting for cooler climes or places where they can experience all the seasons. According to surveys, here are a few places in the U.S. that have come up as the topmost retirement destinations because of the excellent health care, lots of cultural activities, and plenty of greenery or scenery, among various other desirable factors: Holland, Michigan; Walla Walla, Washington; St. Simons Island, Georgia; Prescott, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Luis Obispo, California; Williamsburg, Virginia; Boca Raton, Florida; and Ithaca, New York.
If you want a low-cost destination, there are many retirement locales that have good amenities and charming surroundings, and yet are within your budget. By moving to a location where the living costs are lower compared to your current place of residence, you could probably even get a larger house that costs less, which will enhance your net worth, while also enabling you to live a better retired life.
According to the topmost experts on retirement destinations, some of the best low-cost retirement locations are: the sun-drenched Melbourne Beach, Florida; the aridly beautiful Yucca Valley, California; the rurally fresh Sandpoint, Idaho, close to Canada; and Kennebunk, Maine, which has lots of rocky beaches. Although not all of them might be out-and-out cheap, some being actually pretty expensive depending on where you reside today, yet every one of them has one common factor: You get good value living in retirement in these places.
However, many Americans are also looking to retire in other countries, such as Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Belize, Spain and New Zealand, mainly because living costs are comparatively cheaper, while they also want to experience a different culture and landscape from what they have always known. In addition, since these places are already home to quite a number of American retirees, hence they also have people who belong to the same age group and culture. However, if you do choose any of these countries, making new friends and adapting to a different culture are things that you should be prepared for. Central American countries are particularly popular with American retirees because they are just a few hours flight away from their home country. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you choose to retire overseas:
- See that your Medical Insurance is in order
- Find out about local markets that are cheap
- If you do not want citizenship of the country, get a tourist visa
- If you do want citizenship, apply for it before you move
Irrespective of where you choose to retire, whether within the country or abroad, here are some things you need to keep in mind and do before you decide:
First, you need to decide whether you want to stay somewhere close to your current hometown or venture out to some other locale.
Decide on what you like. Would you prefer the secure and structured environs of a retirement community, or would a town or city that has different types of people, with a broader scope in cultural and entertainment activities be a better choice for you?
Find out everything you can about the places you are considering. Check out on the Internet, and refer to magazines and books for information that will be useful for you.
As you gather more information, start cutting down on your list of probable locations, until you are down to a manageable four or five, at the most.
Then get on the road. Go to every place on your list, staying in each for three to four days, to check out the general feel of the location and its ambience.
Don't be in a hurry about anything. After all you are making an important decision about how you are going to be living for the rest of your life. So take your time, decide slowly and wisely, and not impulsively.
Then, reduce your list to just two to three locations, and go and live in each for about two or three weeks. Examine the advantages and disadvantages of each carefully, such as the living costs, the climate, and also the kind of neighbors and friends you will have. Meet real estate agents and check out if the home you are considering is within your budget. There are real estate agents who designate themselves as Senior Real Estate Specialists.
After you zero in on your choice, take some more time. Get opinions and advice from family and friends. But bank on your instincts, for ultimately it will have to be your choice.
© 2008 Anna D. Banks, GCDF
Anna D. Banks, a passionate advocate for baby boomers in exploring their priorities, planning and setting goals for the next stage of their lives. Assisting her clients to attract and build a professional and personal life consistent with their values is not just a goal of Anna's, it's her passion. Her diverse work experience in business, education and financial services enables her to help the diverse population of baby-boomers with their life, career, and personal finance coaching needs. Anna is currently Adjunct Faculty at Essex County College, where she teaches Career Development & Management.
Author's Note:
Do you have any questions about career development or lifestyle changes for Baby Boomers, which you think others, like you, would want to know the answers? Please place a post on http://www.annabanks.com or email your questions to me at Anna@AnnaBanks.com
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10 Habits of Highly Effective Baby Boomers - How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life
By Cynthia Barnett
As a Baby Boomer, you are probably thinking about your retirement. Whether you plan to take early retirement (or you have already done so), or you are planning for retirement from your current career at age 65 or 70, you are probably actively planning for your financial future. You should also be cultivating the 10 habits of highly effective Baby Boomers to make the rest of your life the best of your life. Mastering these ten habits will help you prepare for retirement and enjoy it more when you decide to take that step.
1. Take 100% responsibility for your life. We all need to recognize that we, alone, are responsible for our past, our present, and our future. We need to take responsibility for the past and make peace with it; live responsibly in the present; and recognize that no one will plan our retirement for us. It is up to us to plan and prepare for the kind of life we want to have after we "retire."
2. Take your dreams off the back burner - put them on the front burner. Most of us have found it necessary to put a dream or two on the back burner because other things were more important or even urgent at the time. Preparation for retirement offers the prime opportunity to move those dreams to the front burner and start planning and working to make them your retirement reality.
3. Nurture your relationships - remain connected. The day after retirement, many people think their workplace relationships are over; but this doesn't need to be the case. If you have workplace relationships you value, you should continue to nurture and enjoy them. Ending a career doesn't mean you have to become a hermit. Remaining connected to the people who are important in your life will bring great joy into your life after the big day.
4. Develop happiness habits. Make a conscious inventory of the things that bring you happiness in life and make plans to continue to do those things. Think about other things that would bring happiness to your life after retirement and start developing habits that will sustain those connections and activities. Make being happy an intentional part of your retirement lifestyle.
5. Simplify and de-clutter. Retirement is the perfect time to shift gears into a simpler, less cluttered and less stressful lifestyle. Simplifying our lives both internally and externally is the perfect activity for the immediate post-retirement days. While you're at it, get rid of the clutter inside and around you. I think you will find the simpler and de-cluttered lifestyle very pleasing.
6. Enjoy the present moment NOW. It is easy to become overwhelmed by responsibilities, goals and things we simply need to do. After all, most of us have spent our lives preparing, planning and working for the next thing or the next step, whether a raise, a promotion, paying for college, etc. It is easy to become so focused on planning and preparing for the future that we forget to enjoy today. Retirement gives us the chance to stop and enjoy the present moment in the NOW instead of partially enjoying it when we look back at old photos. Retirement offers enjoyment and fulfillment in the present moment if we will just grasp it.
7. Discover and cultivate your strengths. Retirement brings freedom from supervisors and bosses telling you what they think your weaknesses are and how you should work on fixing them. I have a better idea: cultivate and play to your strengths. If a weakness gets in the way, then just figure out how to work around it!
8. Leave a legacy - Make a difference. One thing that seems consistent among Baby Boomers is the desire to leave behind a legacy of making a difference in the world. There are thousands of ways to do this. Just figure out how you can focus your interests and strengths on making some kind of difference somewhere for others.
9. Let go of the past. Most unhappy retirees are living in the past in their minds. They are reliving moments of joy or glory. They are rethinking and getting mired in guilt or regret over mistakes or missed opportunities. Recognize that the past is the past, including your last job, and live in the present, making things to look back on later in your life.
10. Renew your self physically, mentally and spiritually. The happiest retirees I encounter are those who are physically fit, mentally challenged and spiritually at peace. All of the preceding nine habits will help you on your way to renewal.
If you are a Baby Boomer anticipating retirement and planning for your exciting life after retirement, I encourage you to practice these ten habits to enjoy a lifestyle that is fulfilling, passionate, and joyous.
Dr. Cynthia Barnett is a Retirement Lifestyle Expert. Through her coaching, keynotes, workshops and seminars, she inspires people to "re-fire" their lives to live happier, satisfying and more meaningful lives. Learn more about her latest book, Prime Time Makeover, by visiting http://www.primetimemakeover.com
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