Retirement is a massive life change. For many it’s the first time not working since being a teenager. That’s over 40 years of day in and day out working.
Such a life transition can be very difficult on those accustomed to working. You go from feeling like you are contributing and being needed to having nothing happening all of a sudden. Before you retire, or if you are currently retired and having a hard time, you need to come up with a plan to keep you active and engaged. Luckily, here's some great ideas for retirees living in the Boise or Treasure Valley area.
Get Into a Hobby
Unless you are one of the lucky few, your job was likely not something you were passionate about or loved doing. Now that you have free time, why not pursue what makes you happy? Hobbies can fill your days with something fun, keep your mind and body active, and even help you make new friends.
Some common hobbies are:
- Joining a 60+ sports league
- Writing a book
- Making art
- Gardening
- Reading
- Walking and Hiking
- Photography
- Traveling
Whatever you want to do, give it a try. The nice thing about hobbies is that if you get tired of one, you can just pick up another. You could even do several hobbies at once and keep your life full of adventure.
Join a Club or a Friend Group
Making and keeping connections with other people is very important in retirement. While working, you interacted with people on a regular, if not forced, basis. You talked with coworkers, made plans with them, and made connections. With work no longer there, it’s easy to slip into staying home all the time and become a hermit. You need to be around other people and have friendships.
There are tons of ways to make new friends, but a common way is to join a set up club or retiree friend group. A lot of these groups revolve around a shared interest, but some are simply people of similar ages meeting up and chatting.
Popular clubs include:
- Book Club
- Knitting Club
- Foreign Language Club
- Dance Club
- Walking Group
You can find local clubs through popular meeting places like the YMCA, libraries, city chamber of commerce, and online. Boise has quite a few of the clubs mentioned above that are always looking for new members. If you can’t find what you are looking for, you can always make your own!
Volunteer and Help Others
A common complaint among retirees is that they don’t feel like they are contributing to society anymore. Just because you aren’t at a job doesn't mean you can’t contribute. There are tons of opportunities in the Treasure Valley to volunteer and make a difference.
There are many places that are just looking for a helping hand, including homeless shelters, food pantries, or caring for animals at a shelter, but you can also take your expertise and skills from your long experience to volunteering too.
Many non-profit organizations and charities are looking for skilled individuals who can help out in specific areas. For example, if you are extremely organized, you might be able to assist an organization that desperately needs that skill. Or if you are an accomplished woodworker, you could use your skills to build beds for foster children. Identify what skills you have and find volunteer opportunities where you can make the biggest impact.
Pioneer has a program that recognizes local non-profits called Community Pioneer. These organizations are doing great things in supporting their local Idaho communities. If you are looking for some places to start where you could have a big impact, here are a few that have won the Community Pioneer award:
Take Your Dream Vacation
Where have you always wanted to go? Boise is great, but what exotic and interesting destinations have you dreamed of? Start planning your trip. Without work holding you back, you aren’t limited by your PTO. If you have the money for it, you could spend several weeks touring through Europe or spend a month living it up in Hawaii.
Time is no longer your limit, but instead your finances. Being on a fixed income means planning out expenses like a vacation far in advance and saving up for it. It might take some time to save up all the money, but it can mean doing your dream vacation right.
Plan to spend plenty of time on your vacation, scout out every activity and site you want to see, and make it happen. If you are nervous about traveling alone, there are tons of tour agencies that cater to retirees that can help make it much easier.
If expenses are a worry, Pioneer has many ways we can help with that. Pioneer members can redeem Rewards points to airfare or hotels and you can find great deals through Get Away Today. When it comes to saving up for your vacation, you can open a Special Purpose Savings account to keep your vacation money separate from your normal savings. One of the best ways to save up is using a Term Certificate that gives a higher interest rate than a normal savings account. All of these tools can assist with paying for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.
Open a Term Certificate