Once a person reaches a certain age (let’s say, around 36-40), there is a great deal of things to be thinking about. The most important one is how your progeny will live once you are gone. Even though some might think that 40 is not the right time to be thinking about that (there are […]

The post Making a Life-Changing Decision: Thinking about the Future appeared first on ComLuv.

OUR TOP 10!  OUR VERY BEST TEN SUGGESTIONS TO INCREASE YOUR CONTRACT BOND LINE In today’s unsteady economic situation and tight market, it has been increasingly harder for some service providers to get bid, construction and contract bonds.  For small construction company owners and larger companies alike, it has been an environment where there are […]

The post Our Top Ten Suggestion on how to Increase your Contract Bond Line appeared first on ComLuv.

Image Credit to FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I was 38 on Sunday 1st December last and this got me thinking about my retirement and how I should be planning it!  It really hit me thinking that I am now just 2 years away from 40 and for the past 20 or so years I have nothing really saved for my upcoming future!  I have lost count of the amount of jobs I have had over the years.

Seems to me the days of doing well at school then getting a well paid job that’s going to last for the 50 years after that are now a thing of the past.  Take my parents for instance they worked hard all of their lives working 3 jobs each, scrimping and saving, bringing me and my brother up,  buying their family home in the hope they both could retire at 65 and have a few good years to do what they had always wanted to do!

Tragically my mother passed away on 25th December 2010,  6 months after retiring from her Job and now my dad seems to just spend everyday doing the same thing going from pup to pub,  Hardly a happy and fulfilling retirement hey?  It paints a sad picture I know but please bear with me as this is not a sob story dear reader!  Of course a happy and financially secure future is something we as bloggers should be aiming towards,  but do we really think about it and should we worry about it?

Being financially secure for your retirement is a must and my strategy is two fold. In the short to medium term I am going to continue to build my web design and development career here at home and my long term strategy is to build on my current hobbie as a blogger to something that I can rely on in later life!  But this is just one part of the jigsaw dear reader as there is more to think about like having a fulfilling,  happy and enjoyable retirement.

• Plan Ahead and be Healthy

Ok so like most things you need to plan it and don’t just fall into retirement without thinking of what you are going to do.  Think of your retirement as a new job or career!  Go and set new goals and achievements you want to happen during your retirement then actively plan for them while taking into account where you are now and where you want to be.  Generally people tend to let themselves go a little bit and slow down after retiring which is no bad thing as that’s what it’s all about,  But bear in mind to keep healthy as it’s a proven fact that we naturally feel happier in ourselves when we are physically fit. So lets keep up our healthy routines up when we are in retirement!

• Socially Active

While working on our career’s we find that we don’t spend time with our friends or our family as much as we would like which is a great shame!  We are a social animal and we need the company of others to keep our sanity.  We do not want our retirement to be an isolated and lonely place as this can easily happen!  I also don’t mean to stay socially active online.

Surrounding yourself with human beings maintains your emotional well being and keeps you happy!  Make time now for your friends and family to keep that flame burning brightly and your social future will be in a much better condition.  When in retirement we will have a lot more time on our hands so plan to make new friends and go out and meet new people with similar interests and hobbies is something else we should be doing!  If done right mine and your retirement can be a very social and happy time for us.

• Get up off that Chair and Go for a Walk

I currently work from home as a Web Designer & Developer as well as a blogger and this can be bad for both my physical and mental well-being as well as affecting my creativeness especially if I am spending 15 + hours in front of a computer screen or two.  Your home can become your prison, it can make you feel stifled and isolated and it can stop you from relaxing which means it can turn you grumpy and unhappy!  So what do I do then?  Well I break up my day by going for an hours run every morning to keep myself fit, In the afternoon I go Birding down my local nature reserve for an hour or so then in the evening I go for a walk to my local pub for a pint or two with my mates!

Your home can be a social place at times but you really do not want to be spend 24/7 there now do you!  So get up out of that chair and get some fresh air in your lungs and this can refresh and revitalise yourself, your senses and your mental well-being!

Our retirement should be some of the happiest years of our lives if planned correctly and thoroughly.  Don’t just assume you will be happy and fulfilled if you just plan to be financially secure, after all we have worked hard all of our lives so our retirement should be a time to enjoy the fruits of our labours!  Remember to take an active role in not only securing  your financial future but also what you want to do when you retire!

Have you anything to add to this?  Do you have other tips, ideas, suggestions or criticisms about my post?  Are you nearing retirement and have you planned it out or not? Do please let me know dear reader as I would love to know!  Post your comments below and I will respond to each them as soon as I possibly can.

Until next time…

Phillip Dews

The post A Happy Retirement – 3 Suggestions for Bloggers appeared first on ComLuv.

People most of the time think and talk about the ways in which they can earn some cash and when they become rich they start taking everything lightly and end up losing all the money they have earned. You surely have heard about people who went from rags to riches overnight and came down with […]

The post Robert Kiyosaki Lessons: Best ways to Protect and Preserve Money appeared first on ComLuv.

A smartphone isn’t just a sleek, shiny piece of plush technology; it can also be converted into a savvy money-saving tool at the touch of an app. The need to save money is more prevalent than ever so what better way to save the pennies than regular updates whilst you are on the move. All […]

The post 5 Awesome Money-Saving Apps for Your Smartphone appeared first on ComLuv.

Many people have been there: financial disarray. This day in age it’s not hard to get there. We’re encouraged to spend, spend, spend at every corner. Given the consumer culture and the unstable job market, it’s easy for anyone to fall into peril. Thankfully, there are ways to turn things around. The following five-step program […]

The post 5 Steps To Turning Around Your Finances appeared first on ComLuv.

French Real Estate Foreigners love Paris… That’s why Paris Real Estate just broke a new historical record. If there is a real estate depression in United States, but also in European countries like Greece, Spain and Ireland, French real estate market is still trading at high price, for several reasons: Building new constructions in France is […]

The post Investing in French Real Estate for Foreigners appeared first on ComLuv.

For homeowners, they’re necessary nuisances. There are many large appliances in your home that can break at any time. There are also many parts of your house that could use an upgrade, but don’t necessarily need them at the time. Usually we put off these expenses until the last minute. But that might not be […]

The post 4 Household Investments That Save Money Long-Term appeared first on ComLuv.

As the housing market continues to recover, interest rates are projected to remain at their current historic lows at least until the end of 2014. Those low rates and the wide availability of vacant homes definitely favor buyers. But homeownership isn’t right for everyone. In fact, some former homeowners whose properties were foreclosed have vowed to […]

The post Weighing options: How to decide whether to rent or buy appeared first on ComLuv.

Do you remember the agony of the last unexpected expense you incurred? For the unprepared it means breaking out the credit card and racking up even more debt. Not only that, but it also means paying far more for the expense than required, thanks to interest. Since the unprepared typically take months, or even longer, […]

The post 7 Reasons Why You Need An Emergency Fund appeared first on ComLuv.