How To Plan A Successful ‘Retirementmoon’

Summary

How To Plan A Successful ‘Retirementmoon’

Traveling as a way to celebrate big moments in our lives is nothing new, but travel agents across the country have noticed the development of an interesting trend: “retirementmoons. Coupling “retirement" and “honeymoon,” the term reflects the fact that more and more people are celebrating their retirement by hitting the road.

There is data to back this up, as a recent survey found 40% of retirees have taken, or plan to take, a trip to mark their retirement. As with a honeymoon, planning your retirementmoon can be a serious undertaking, with a large number of factors to consider. Here are some tips to ponder if you are looking to celebrate in style the transition from working life to retirement days.

Think Big: While you certainly don’t want to break the bank on this, your first post-retirement trip, you also don’t want to skimp. Remember, your retirementmoon is meant to commemorate an important achievement in your life. You’re only going retire once, so make the trip memorable.

Destination Unknown: The first question to tackle is, where to go? It’s a big, beautiful world out there so take your time deciding where you will ultimately retirementmoon. Do you have a dream destination? What interests will you want to pursue on the trip — art, wine, hiking, history? Would you like to achieve a specific goal, such as taking dive classes or language immersion? The answers will go a long way toward giving shape to your retirementmoon.

Make Sense of the Dollars: Needing to adjust your spending to a new budget is normal in retirement, and it’s essential you maintain that discipline on your retirementmoon, particularly given the fact it comes at the very start of your fixed-income life. As with any major trip, once you’ve identified your destination, budget out as closely as possible what you will need to spend on lodging, transportation, food and activities. The good news? You are more likely to be eligible for age-based discounts.

Setting the Pace: One lovely fact about retirement – and thus the retirementmoon – is that your time is your own now. In practice, that means you can really take it easy on this trip; there is no employer at home impatiently waiting for you to return. Feel free to schedule rest days into your itinerary and limit the number of consecutive travel days.
Split the Difference: If you’re sharing the retirementmoon experience with someone else – a spouse, friend, even a former co-worker – bear in mind that everyone has different travel goals. Some, for instance, want to see the historical sites while others prefer adventure spots. Suffice it to say, the best strategy is to split the difference so that everyone has the best retirementmoon experience possible.

Weather Report: It’s imperative to research your retirementmoon destination’s weather. Say, you’ve always dreamed of sipping wine in Florence. Great idea, but veteran travelers will advise you to avoid Italy in the brutal heat of summer. Knowledge is power on your retirementmoon.
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