{"id":239084,"date":"2023-07-11T18:33:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T16:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwalks.com\/blog\/?post_type=columnist&p=239084"},"modified":"2023-07-11T18:33:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T16:33:09","slug":"two-years-retired-an-honest-reflection-on-travel-and-costs","status":"publish","type":"columnist","link":"https:\/\/www.discoverwalks.com\/blog\/columnist\/brian-feutz\/two-years-retired-an-honest-reflection-on-travel-and-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Years Retired: An Honest Reflection on Travel and Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"

I sat on the deck on the morning of my first retirement day, sipped a cup of coffee, and wondered what the future would bring. <\/p>\n

Like other retirees, I had big dreams and little fears, and no matter how much I planned\u200a\u2014\u200aand I did plan a lot\u200a\u2014\u200aretirement was still a big amorphous blob of mystery.<\/p>\n

Most of us consider retirement as the liminal moment that represents a bright line between our allegiance to others and our allegiance to ourselves. That day, for the very first time, I stood on my<\/strong> side of that line and admired the newfound freedom that looked back at me and asked: \u201cWhat do you wanna do today?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

A million things immediately came to mind\u200a\u2014\u200atoo many to contemplate\u200a\u2014\u200aso I took a walk, read a book, napped, and cooked steaks on the grill. It was the best day I\u2019d had in years.<\/p>\n

I wanted to travel:<\/h2>\n

Travel is expensive, and when the paychecks stopped, I got nervous. Some people blow their wad on The Great European Adventure, but we doled it out slowly, with trips to nearby mountains and islands (we live in the Pacific Northwest on one of the San Juan Islands).<\/p>\n

When the winter came and the pandemic eased, we tripped down to the warm (and inexpensive we thought) beaches of Zihuatanejo Mexico for three weeks. We lived on fish tacos and cervezas except for the resort week when the kids came to join us \u2013 that was wine, lobster, and massages (kids are worth it). It would have been a reasonable cost overall except I caught COVID and had to pay for two unexpected weeks of food and lodging.<\/p>\n

To round out the first year, we went skiing and boating. We rented kayaks, went fishing, and crabbed. We drove around the country, explored Canada and the east coast, and stayed with friends and family to keep the costs down.<\/p>\n

The second year, we flew to Dallas and Arizona for more exploration. We drove to California and rolled slowly past the first home we purchased after we married thirty-two years ago. A poignant moment indeed.<\/p>\n

We took another long vacation to Belize where we enjoyed snorkeling, swimming, seafood, and beaches. I fulfilled a lifelong dream to climb the pyramids of Tikal and hear the howler monkeys in Guatemala.<\/p>\n

Next year we have big plans that might just become our Great European Adventure.<\/p>\n

Travel costs in retirement:<\/h2>\n

Some experts say that one spends ten to thirty percent less in retirement, but don\u2019t believe them. Our travel costs alone amounted to almost twenty percent of our entire annual budget, and most of our other expenses remained at prior levels.
\nBoth years we spent more than we\u2019d planned.<\/p>\n

A more accurate way to look at costs in retirement is to expect to spend 10% to 20% more in the first few years than you spent when employed. Those early years are the most active years, when you\u2019re pursuing unrequited dreams and catching up on those activities that you put off for the future.<\/p>\n

Retirement is the only future you have left, and if you don\u2019t enjoy it right away, you may never get another chance.<\/p>\n

According to more reasonable experts, after the increased expenditures the first few years of retirement, expenses will decline year over year for the majority of your retirement.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning to retire, and you\u2019re an avid traveler (or plan to be) like my wife and I are, be sure to account for the bump in expenses for the first few years.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the first two years:<\/h2>\n

It took three months to convert my initial anxiety into enthusiasm. After that I had my days arranged like clockwork, so they\u2019d include hobbies, writing, exercise, and socializing. Travel planning bubbled to the top of my priorities, as did financial awareness and prudence.<\/p>\n

Two years into the adventure of retirement I feel like I have it figured out.<\/p>\n

The initial excitement (they call it the \u201cHoneymoon Period\u201d) is waning, replaced by a sense of relaxation and contentment. It looks like I saved enough money to enjoy a conservative set of hobbies (no yacht for me), and frequent but modest travel.<\/p>\n

What do I recommend? Talk to a professional financial planner to ensure you have a comfortable financial cushion. Stay current on technology because the future of travel will rely heavily on self-research.<\/p>\n

When you decide to retire, watch your finances closely.<\/p>\n

Travel as much as you can afford. Find inexpensive options like low-cost destinations (Mexico, Central America, Thailand, Portugal, Vietnam, Malaysia, and more) and consider using locally guided tours like those that DiscoverWalks offers.<\/p>\n

Remember: The less you spend, the more you travel.<\/p>\n

\n

Planning a trip to Â鶹APP ? Get ready !<\/p>\n

\n

These are\u00a0Amazon’s\u00a0best-selling<\/strong>\u00a0travel products that you may need for coming to Â鶹APP.<\/p>\n

Bookstore<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Â鶹APP 2023<\/strong> –\u00a0Learn more here<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Fodor’s Â鶹APP 2024 –\u00a0Learn more here<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Travel Gear<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack –\u00a0Learn more here<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage –\u00a0Learn more here<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
    3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle\u00a0–\u00a0Learn more here<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Check Amazon\u2019s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. <\/a>We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1731,"featured_media":239087,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[],"topic":[4076,4056],"class_list":["post-239084","columnist","type-columnist","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","topic-economics","topic-travel"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTwo Years Retired: An Honest Reflection on Travel and Costs - Discover Walks Columnist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I sat on the deck on the morning of my first retirement day, sipped a cup of coffee, and wondered what the future would bring.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwalks.com\/blog\/columnist\/brian-feutz\/two-years-retired-an-honest-reflection-on-travel-and-costs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Two Years Retired: An Honest Reflection on Travel and Costs - 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