Balance in the Life of a Retiree

Life balance - I have that under control. Now that I am retired, I will have more time for tennis, cleaning the house, classes, dog walking, gardening, and whatever else I want or need to do. I doubt I will be bored; however, I am sure I will continue the art of procrastination when it comes to house cleaning, laundry, and organizing the attic. It’s the financial balance I need to conquer.

I am proud to say I have recently started thinking about how to be more financially disciplined. This is a significant shift, as self-discipline has never been my strong suit. When I began working, my mother said my financial plan was to spend my entire paycheck before I received the next one. My parents (thankfully) begged me, and for once, I listened and set up automatic savings with every paycheck. Before the advent of the 401k, I bought savings bonds, then eventually contributed to my 401k. And, per their advice, I increased the percentage of my contribution with every raise I received. Out of my sight, out of my spending ability.

My recent test of my financial discipline started with an email from my favorite tennis shop. There were some cute tops on sale that I didn’t need but wanted. I put them in my cart and then removed them. I received the usual follow-up email saying, “You have items left in your cart, and they are going fast!” Again, I looked, closed the window, and was proud of myself. Later that day, I decided I deserved a retirement present, so I pressed “buy.”

The day before this undisciplined purchase, I spent over $50 at Staples printing contracts to review for my clients. With that job completed, I was about to dump the stacks of paper before my new “frugal” mantra struck me. I put the saved paper, clean side down, in my printer so as not to waste paper. Maybe it’s not a perfect financial balance, but it’s a start. Every penny counts when trying to establish more disciplined habits.

I have canceled two subscriptions and now look closely at grocery store sales inserts. A whole chicken is less expensive per pound than one cut-up, and yogurt has a long shelf life, so any on sale because of expiration dates closing in, are just fine with me.

I now speed close emails with cute home items for sale and have stopped buying “work” clothes. I ignore the emails that promise me “free gifts” because I know it’s only free if you purchase something. I have considered learning to darn socks. But the reality is, my dryer eats socks, so I must give in and buy, not repair.

Where I will not skimp is on the water bill. When sub-zero, single-digit, and winter weather rears its head again, I will continue to keep weeping the pipes to keep them from freezing. Flushing toilets, trickling water from the taps, and showers are worth the cost.

I have purchased seeds for this season and hope to continue growing much of our produce this spring and summer. I may even see a reduced grocery bill if I can grow enough. What savings we gain will be spent on traps to keep our profits from being eaten by mice.