Life After Work, As Expected
For Miss Johnson, life after work was as she expected: financial independence, travel, hobbies, time with family.
She spent much time at home gardening and listening to religious music but admitted she missed not having as much time as she wanted with family, most of whom lived abroad, because time with family was so enjoyable to her. As often as she could, she travelled to Canada, the US and Britain to visit them.
Financially, she managed quite well. Her pension and personal savings were adequate to take care of her needs. She paid her own bills, and her air fare when she visited family and, when necessary, gave financial help to them. For their part, her children and siblings often supplied her with some items such as clothes.
Miss Johnson believed in keeping cash and in protecting her financial resources; she had no time or place for gambling, for example.
She credited her knowledge of how to spend and her ability to take care of and love her children for her retirement being what she wanted it to be.
This single mother of three prepared for life after work by always having work. She worked for twenty-nine years at her last place of employment and continued to work for two years after normal retirement age. She sewed part-time as much as possible during her working years and saved the extra income. Additionally, she lodged funds to her savings account every month.
The fact that her children's father supported their children well helped her to maintain a sound financial footing. The children for their part worked during the holidays when such jobs were available.
During the time she lived close to a tertiary educational institution, she offered boarding to students and saved that income. But she later sold that house and used the proceeds and some of her savings to purchase another for cash.
She recognised that, although times have changed, certain things need not: spending wisely, loving and caring for others and living in peace. These make a big difference to life in retirement.