It’s Fridayyyyyyyyyy! Yeah – we used to think, getting up to face another day. The weekend is finally here! It gets so ingrained in you that even in retirement Fridays are special, although they’re really just like every other day at this stage of life. Yes indeed, a life of Fridays is what I have – day after day of doing as I please. I could no longer handle those days of steady work, raising kids, and trying to make ends meet. It’s exhausting to just think about it, but somehow it all worked out. So here I am, at age seventy with a lifetime of memories and still trying to make ends meet. 

In the next five to ten years I’m probably going to regret not having worked a few more years or saved more money. I may even have to find another career if I want to travel in the future. Or, will I remain content in this resort community and lose that urge to see the world? Many of my neighbors still have second homes while others never go anywhere. Is this by choice or necessity? I’ve always maintained a budget but have never really lived on a fixed income. There were always opportunities to get bonuses and higher commissions, so we always lived well above our means. The reality now is that the flow of income is dwindling but our need to spend has yet to change. We’re still making home improvements and planning our next great adventure. What happens when the spigot gets turned off?

It seems like this is about the only thing left to worry about in retirement. I can no longer contribute to the education funds for my grandchildren, buy expensive jewelry for my wife, or even afford the payments on a new car. We’re even thinking about dropping back to one car and maybe a golf cart. Yes, I can continue to live with the luxuries of our resort community for many years to come, but airlines and cruise ships will no longer be in the budget, unless we can magically figure out a way to earn more!