As your retirement edges closer and closer, you’ll no doubt be dreaming of your newfound freedom from the yoke of the working week. Retirement is a glorious time and one that opens up boundless opportunities for those who have planned well.
For those who have kept their nose to the grindstone for some time, the most exciting bit of retirement is the ability to travel. If you’re intending to holiday like never before in retirement, how should you approach planning it?
Set Goals
The world is, naturally, your oyster when planning your retirement holiday. Without any real obligations or frameworks to fit within – apart from, perhaps, family events and national holidays – you are free from any real restrictions to your planning. With an entire world to see and boundless time in which to see it, you’ll definitely need to draw up a plan.
Start with your ideal destinations, first. Have you always wanted to visit an ancient wonder of the world, or are there cultural destinations that you’ve been desperate to see? By picking out some favourite places, you can start to form a practical idea of your journey and how to undertake it.
Create a Budget
Of course, your retirement holiday is going to cost money. With less of an inclination to compromise, you may instead want to focus on how you’ll fund your dream trip. There are a number of options available, the simplest of which being to enjoy any savings you’ve accumulated over time.
But if your savings won’t quite stretch to cover your plans, there are other routes to financing your holiday – including releasing some of the value locked in your home. You could look at how equity release works, and if it applies well to your situation.
Another way to help your bring costs down could be to bring your family along. They may be more than happy to help you subsidise your trip, with group deals available for certain travel and accommodation plans.
Think Safety
As fun as planning your retirement trip can be, there are some serious things you will need to consider alongside your route planning and accommodation hunting. Accidents happen, and you should ensure that if they do, your trip isn’t impacted too negatively. Travel insurance is key for this, as is ensuring you have an EHIC for European travel.
A Trip to Remember
Your retirement journey is set to be the trip of a lifetime – one in which you tick off bucket-list items and enjoy more holidaying freedom than you have ever known before. Naturally, this is a prime opportunity for memory-making and one that you should grab with both hands.
Whether you are taking this trip alone or bringing your family along for the ride, be sure to bring plenty of ways to preserve moments and memories from the trip. A good digital camera will allow you to capture candid moments and group pictures alike, while a journal or diary can help you log your thoughts and experiences more meaningfully. The more you record, the more you can look back on fondly.
