Retirement and Real Estate
Going from working full time to retirement isn't easy, and many retirees face all sorts of complexes and conditions that come hand in hand with a change in lifestyle. There are those that blow away money on investments (some do succeed though) while some go the opposite way and become reclusive (and sometime cranky) - thus the urban legends about old people who live frugally but in reality possess a lot of money. Anyway,, the thing to remember in retirement is to always weigh the options you have when you've just retired. Since you've just come out of work, you have the mental faculties to take a look at your finances and determine which direction you want them to take. One the most profound things that retirement affects (except for really rich people, of course) is your home. Sometimes retirees fall into the trap of not looking into their mortgage payments and end up owing more than what they can afford. Especially with the housing industry as it is, you should take a deep and thorough look at your finances to determine if you should move out of your house of if you can afford to stay for the rest of your life.