NOTE: Today’s post comes to you from Phil Bradford since I’m currently on vacation and away from a computer! Please enjoy!
Planning a budget after retirement is not at all an easy task. You need to reshuffle the whole budget that you have been following for all these years. You’ve to make changes in your grocery expenses, debt payments, utility bill payments, medical bill payments, auto and home insurance payments, and other expenses. Phew! What a tedious job. Isn’t it? If this is what makes you depressed, then cheer up. I’m here to guide you all the way to make a perfect budget after your retirement.
How to make an ideal retirement budget
You are struggling hard to create a proper budget for this year after your retirement. Is that so? You’ve come a long way all these years, and I’m sure that you’ll use your past experiences while drafting a retirement budget. But before you start drafting your retirement budget for 2016, just recall all the past financial mistakes you’ve made. It’ll definitely help you make a perfect retirement budget.
Use your mind wisely when you’re composing your retirement budget. Remember, the cash flow is not the same that used to be before you got retired. So, you need to plan your budget according to that. If you’re still confused about how to prepare your retirement budget, then just have a look at the below-given points:
Jot down your essential and non-essential expenses
An effective retirement budget is the one that has no room for extra expenses. To create such a budget, you need to eliminate all the unnecessary spendings. And, how will you do it? Well! For that, you need to divide your expenses list into three equal parts:
- Essential monthly expenses – This list includes expenses such as food, clothing, housing, transportation and health care.
- Non-essential monthly expenses – This part covers the cost of cable, cell phone, gym membership, entertainment, and so on.
- Required non-monthly expenses – These include costs that may come up once a year such as property taxes, insurance premiums, auto registration, and home warranties. Calculate these costs on a monthly basis and don’t forget to add them to your monthly budget plan.
Check out health care expenses before and after retirement
Health complications will only increase with age. So, you should prepare yourself beforehand for any medical crisis. If your employer has been paying your health insurance premiums all these years, then it’s time that you should think about it. Now, it’s your turn to pick up the tab. Ask your insurance agent about all the necessary details regarding your health insurance and include them in your monthly budget.
Think of how you want to spend the retired days
The thought process can change a lot of things in your life. Take out time and sit down with your spouse to decide how you both wish to use your money after retirement. Think of the financial house where both of you want to make some renovations and use your nest egg accordingly. This would help you to make a more effective budget. Hence, both of you get to know your financial desires better.
Go on with your financial education
Now that you have retired, don’t stop yourself from getting the financial education. You should continue doing your research regarding fiscal matters because it would help you to come out as a more financially responsible person. Staying up-to-date would benefit you in creating a budget that’ll suit your pocket. You can also change your budget as per the market requirement. So, financial education is a must.
Make wise use of the grey matter
Make good use of the grey matter of your brain so that you can come out victorious as an intelligent money manager after your retirement. Try to be a smart consumer by switching to a pre-paid phone plan, buying things in bulk, closing your cable TV connection and using the Internet connection to its fullest, doing comparison shopping, and so on.
Make savings the key mantra
One of the key points in budgeting is ‘savings’. The more you can save, the healthier will be your budget and the merrier will be your golden days. Apart from cutting down useless expenses, try to search for places where you can save more dollars. Consider sharing as a part of your financial regime to minimize your monthly expenses. Start sharing your home or car with your friends or family. Borrow a gardening tool or extra chairs for a family barbecue and so on. Be as much creative as you can.
I hope now you can create your retirement budget confidently.
But before I bid adieu, let me remind you that President Obama has made certain changes in the retirement benefits such as introducing myIRS and lots more. So, don’t miss out on them while creating your retirement budget for 2016.
Are you budgeting for retirement? How are you doing it? What’s working? What’s not?
Have a great Wednesday!
