Growing old: Getting your costs in order

It would be fair to say that there are all sorts of thoughts and misconceptions doing the rounds when it comes to the ageing process.

Most surround pensions, having more free time on your hands and put simply, making the most of your newly retired state.

Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that their finances change in more ways than they might imagine. Sure, we all know about pensions and we all know that we are now no longer receiving a full-time salary.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and today’s article will now showcase some of the other costs that you need to get in order as you go through retirement.

You’ll meet some costs that only occur in later life

We are going to get some of the more morbid subjects out of the way first – let’s talk about funerals. This might not be the most pleasant subject in the world but like it or not, we will all have one, and we all have to pay for one.

What a lot of people don’t understand is that they can cost thousands. This is money that can really drain a family’s finances, so we would urge you to plan for this so you and your family don’t fall into said category.

Then, there’s elderly care. Hopefully, you won’t need much attention as you age, but a lot of people do. This has been covered a lot in the news over recent times and the message is loud and clear; don’t rely on the authorities to necessarily help you out.

Sure, you’re not going to be on the streets, but if you want to be in control of the standard of care you or a family member receives, make sure you financially plan for this.

Your children will still cost you money

In truth, for as long as you are around, you are probably going to help your children out in some financial regard.

However, a lot of parents don’t quite understand the scale of this. They don’t realize that nowadays, it’s almost become the norm for you to help them get on the housing ladder or help them through their studies.

In relation to the former, parents have quickly become one of the biggest mortgage providers in the world – which perhaps tells its own story.

As such, even if your children are about to leave home, don’t think that the costs are going to stop. There’s every chance that they are actually going to get higher.

Your “running” costs might increase

This final point is actually one of the biggest surprises for those people who have just entered the world of retirement. Now that their mortgage has been paid off, and potentially other large commitments such as a car, they can fall into the trap of thinking that their costs decrease.

As it turns out this couldn’t be further from the truth. On the most part, as you have more free time on your hands, you’ll have more time to spend money. It might be through a new hobby you take up or another reason, but it does happen. This is one reason why it is crucial you have all of your finances in order long before you retire from work.