Before we retired, we used to wonder what it would be like to not work. What, we wondered, would we do with that 40 hours (plus commuting) of extra time?

Save with SPP took a look around to see what others have started to do with their new free time.

Over at the Sixty And Me blog, a number of ideas are presented.

The top five are “travel – visit the world’s most sacred places,” followed by “step out of your comfort zone – do something you’ve never done before.”

Rounding out the top five are “learn new hobbies, clean/declutter and volunteer – there’s always help needed somewhere.”

“If there is one thing that I have learned, it’s that retirement is a choice. We may not be able to choose when we have to retire, but we can choose how we spend the final decades of our lives,” the blog’s author concludes.

OK, what other ideas are there?

The Bucket List Journey blog lists 44 ideas.

Near the top of the list is “attend community events,” such as “fundraisers, charity walks and even barbecues,” so that you are getting out and meeting people.

Becoming “your own financial guru” is possible with the extra time, the blog says – you can run your investments and put more time into budgeting.

Other ideas include “becoming a teacher,” and mentoring others in the skills you learned in your working life, getting into podcasts, and “committing to your health.” On this latter topic, the blog advises that “this may involve developing healthy habits such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and managing stress.”

“But,” concludes the blog, “like all life-changing habits, it’s also important to take it one small step at a time so that you can actually commit to it.”

So, being part of the community, owning your money management, and getting back in shape. Are there other suggestions?

There certainly are, reports the Great Senior Living blog.

“Get an education,” the blog suggests. “Retirement could be the perfect time to get that degree you’ve always wanted or just learn more about a subject that fascinates you,” the blog notes.

Another idea, the blog continues is to “get involved in a sport.”

“Playing sports is… an easy way to meet new people and have fun. Bocce, pickleball, bowling, golf, tennis, and water aerobics are just some of the sports that are popular among retirees,” the blog reports.

If you love furry critters, why not “foster a pet,” the blog notes. “The idea is to provide a loving and stable environment for the animals until a permanent home can be found for them. This is a great way to get the benefits of animal companionship without the high price tag.”

Finally, from the Storypoint Group website, a suggestion is to try activities “that help you unwind” such as “reading, doing puzzles, playing a fun brain game, practicing yoga or meditation, or becoming a film critic.”

All great ideas. Learning new things helps exercise your brain; walking or yoga help your body, and any activity that helps you meet new friends is good for your mental health – it’s not good to stay home and isolated. The bottom line is that retirement is what you make of it, and it can be anything you imagine it to be.

A little cash in the wallet helps give you more retirement options, so don’t forget to save for retirement now to help fund your future life. Be sure you have joined any workplace pension or retirement savings plan and are contributing to the max. If you’re saving on your own for retirement, consider the Saskatchewan Pension Plan.

SPP looks after the hard part – carefully investing your hard-earned savings in a professionally managed, low-fee, pooled fund. And at retirement, SPP can turn your nest egg into a monthly income stream (via SPP’s line of annuities), or you can look to SPP’s Variable Benefit to take out money when you want at the rate you decide.

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