Dust off your passport again and prepare for traveling around the world during retirement with these tips.
Traveling during the Golden years is something that everybody lingers for. With so much free time, significantly fewer responsibilities, and a budget that you can direct to seeing the world, retirement does really seem rose-colored. You’ve finished your career, sent your kids off to college, or helped them settle down with their own family. Now it’s time to explore your long-forgotten hobby of traveling.
Not sure where to get started with planning your travels during retirement? Here are some tips that will help.
Figure out your travel budget
First things first, let’s address the elephant in the room: Do you know how much can you afford to travel?
Money talk isn’t the most fun thing you want to consider, but if you want to travel during your senior years, you need to get serious about figuring out your travel budget.
When you finish your career and retire, your finances also suffer some minor changes. You may have a lower monthly income than you had as an employee. You may invest in health insurance as your health condition starts to show signs of aging. And, you may have new things in mind to save for.
Now, each retiree’s travel budget can depend on a number of things, including the financial planning steps you took until now. Maybe you’ve saved enough money so far, and you can afford to book your tickets and start seeing the world. But, perhaps you didn’t consider that traveling is what you want to do in your retirement years and you don’t have any saved money to go and visit the world. In this case, there are a few strategies you can use to get the cash you need to travel in your senior years:
- Postpone your travels until you save enough money.
- Look for reverse mortgages in Canada and access your home equity without having any regular payments to stress about.
- Get a seasonal or part-time job to have an extra income besides your pension. Using the skills you’ve gained during your career, you can continue to make money.
- If you have strong writing skills, you can apply for a New York Times’ 52 Places to Go job and get paid to travel.
Create a bucket list
It’s easy to get excited about traveling the entire world. But, realistically speaking, you may not be able to see the ENTIRE world. You may not have the budget for it, the time, or other responsibilities might prevent you from being away 365 days a year.
So, it can be wise to create a bucket list with all the places and attractions that you really, really want to see. Have you ever wanted to visit a particular country or attraction? Or maybe you’ve always dreamt about taking a luxury vacation? Or have you ever dreamt about visiting an exotic resort? Figure out your travel goals and create a realistic travel bucket list.
Choose the way you’ll be traveling
Maybe you’ve always wanted to take an iconic train journey that involves visiting several countries. Or, perhaps you’ve never flown on an airplane before you’ve retired, and you want to try this experience now. Or maybe you’ve always dreamt about taking a river cruise or sailing trip. Whatever way of travel you’ve always imagined that you’d love to try, go for that.
Pack wisely
Aging comes with wisdom. Over time, you learn the things that matter and those that aren’t that important. You learn the things that you’re comfortable with and those that you don’t enjoy. And, you know what items you actually use in a trip and those you only carry around and make your baggage heavier.
So, after you’ve decided on a destination and booked your tickets, start packing. But, do it wisely. Consider that as a senior, you value comfort the most. So, pack lightly and only take clothes and shoes that allow you to feel comfortable while walking around in the places you’ve always wanted to visit.
Rent wisely
Once upon a time, you were happy sleeping in a hostel that provided the cheapest rent as long as you had the chance to visit some impressive places. Today, the story is a lot different when you’re a senior. And, you are probably wise enough to figure that out on your own.
As a retiree, you no longer like the element of surprise in accommodation while traveling around the world. You probably value keeping your routines and peace more than anything else. And that’s absolutely normal.
But, you need to consider all that when choosing accommodation in the places you’ll be visiting. Make sure that you wisely pick hotels, homes, or Airbnbs, considering all the things that define you now. For example, maybe you get quickly tired from walking long distances. In this case, it is wise to rent a place that is close to the most popular tourist attractions, even if that means spending a couple of bucks extra.
Or, maybe you don’t want to disrupt your routines and sleep even when you’re not at home. In this case, it is wise to look for accommodation options that are located in peaceful areas, like those away from the city center or close to parks or other green spaces.
Don’t skip insurance
As a senior, you’re more prone to accidents, injuries, or other health conditions that may mess up your travels. Now, truth be told: getting sick on a trip doesn’t only mess up your trip but also your budget. So, it is wise to be prepared for such a scenario with trip and international health insurance policies. This way, you can rest assured that you’re financially protected if you experience any health problem while traveling the world.
Consider having a travel buddy
If you’ve always been a solo traveler, this one may be a bit challenging for you. But, having a travel buddy on your trips during retirement can actually be a good idea. Not only that you’ll be sure to have someone you can rely on in case a challenge occurs during your travel, but you may also find their company more exciting since you’ll exchange insights about destinations seen through different eyes.
Feature Photo by Julius Yls on Unsplash
