Learn to enjoy doing things that doesn’t cost money (or not much money) for happy retirement: An early retiree’s thoughts…
 |
| Island of Oahu, Hawaii |
When my wife and I lived in Oahu (Hawaii), one of our favorite pastimes was going to the beach. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go the beach in Hawaii?
There are so many world class beaches on the island of Oahu alone: Waikiki, Kailua, Sunset, Lanikai, Ala Moana, and so on…
We would pack lunches and refreshments, then take two beach lounge chairs to these beaches for a day of swimming, snorkeling, taking naps, eating, enjoying the views, and watching the sunset.
When we lived there, we thought life couldn’t get any better than a beach day in Hawaii.
We both loved the beach, especially the first month we had moved to Oahu. We would go to Waikiki Beach every day, as it was only a 4 block walk to the world famous beach, from our apartment rental.
It would be after breakfast to enjoy the rising sun, when there are much less tourists out in full force. It would be after lunch to swim at the beach, then take afternoon naps right under a palm tree with tradewinds in my hair. It would also be after dinner to watch the most beautiful sunsets we’ve ever seen…
Regardless to say, we were really tanned! I practically looked like a local, as long as I didn’t open my mouth to speak. Soon as I did, locals would know I wasn’t from Hawaii as I didn’t speak ‘pidgin’ English. Many locals commented how funny it looked to see someone that looked like them, but who spoke mainland English!
Our dream of moving to Hawaii to live this bucolic beach bum lifestyle didn’t quite work out the way we had hoped, as I eventually got tired of living on an island. We did move back to the mainland (Continental US), but the simple joys of going to the beach and living a simpler lifestyle stuck with us.
Now that we look back, it wasn’t just the beach we loved, but also that it didn’t cost anything to go to the beach every day!
Unlike some beaches in New Jersey or New York, where some are either private beaches or require beach passes, all beaches in Hawaii are open to the public, and are free! Most beaches in Hawaii also do not charge parking fees to park the car either. *Waikiki is different as there are no parking areas on Kalakaua Avenue (Main Street) near Waikiki Beach.
We took this lesson, of not spending money (or much money) but still enjoying life, to heart. Whereas before our move to Hawaii, we were more interested in city life (museums, rooftop restaurants, shopping, etc.) for entertainment, after Hawaii, we got to enjoy nature for entertainment!
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the city life, as we did the same thing when we were younger. City life though, does equal spending more money to have fun. Everything costs more money in the city: parking, shopping, going to movies, paying admission fees, eating at good restaurants, etc.
Enjoying nature on the other hand, costs nothing or next to nothing. There might be a small entrance fee or parking fee, but nothing like what it used to cost going to a museum in New York City, for example.
In Hawaii, all the beaches and many state parks/nature areas are free to visit. Pennsylvania is also the same, as all state parks are free.
Thanks to our Pomeranian Toby, we really got to enjoy and appreciate nature, as we couldn’t take him to museums with us or to fancy restaurants…
This transition from doing things that cost money to doing things for free, is one of the catalysts for our early retirement. Simply put, we couldn’t have saved enough money for retirement were it not for the fact that we started to do things that were free!
Enjoying nature was one thing, but there were countless others that didn’t cost money (or not much money):
- Borrowing books from a library - We used to buy books from bookstores, then eventually at used bookstores. Used bookstores still cost money, whereas a library was free.
- Hiking trails (not state parks) - We researched places for nice hikes up mountains that all of us can enjoy and are free. One of our favorites was Bake Oven Knob near Allentown. Cost is gasoline and take out lunch.
- Exploring different cities in Pennsylvania with Toby - We loved going on day trips to places like Allentown, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Scranton, and Jim Thorpe to walk and explore the city. This was of course all free. Cost is just lunch takeout.
- Day trips to other states - We took trips to Delaware and Maryland to explore places like Annapolis (MD), Cape Henlopen (DE), and Fort Delaware (DE). Cost is takeout lunch and price of gasoline (sometimes tolls).
- Staying home - We became homebodies on days we didn’t go out and really enjoyed it! On days when it would rain or snow, we would make that our lounging day. We would hang out at home with a drink in our hands, and enjoy the rain or snow.
- Watching movies at home - By now everyone is doing it. What better way to watch a movie than at home with no annoyances to worry about? What are some of these annoyances? Someone kicking my seat, someone taking calls during a movie, someone talking constantly, or shouting out…On top of that, we don’t have to pay $30 for two drinks and a popcorn!!!
- Playing an instrument or painting - Although I did pay for the guitar and amp at one time, it’s not like I have to pay a recurring monthly fee to enjoy playing the guitar! My wife’s painting does cost money but it’s again not a recurring cost.
- Meeting with friends for lunch - Lunches always cost less than dinners at most restaurants. We would usually take one car so all of us can chat, drive somewhere nice, then go eat lunch at a new place. Cost would be around $30-$40 per couple. Still better than dinners which would typically be around $60-$70.
- Taking a leisurely drive to the countryside - We would take Toby with us and just drive around for no particular reason on our days off. There’s something soothing about the experience. One of my favorite drives in Pennsylvania was Route 23 going west towards Lancaster county. Cost is just the price of gasoline.
- Cleaning the car or house - I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a clean freak. I’ll clean (sometimes) once in awhile when it calls for it. For washing my car, that maybe every 2 months. For cleaning our home, maybe every other week. Whenever I do clean, there is a sense of accomplishment at my handiwork. I do enjoy looking at my car after a wash/wax, or home after a clean job well done. This doesn’t cost money.
- Learning something - Read books, read articles or blogs, watch videos, and/or listen to podcasts on topics you’re interested in. Learn about finance and early retirement (I still do). All these cost nothing.
- Creating something - I loved to create, whether that’s writing a piece of music, or just improvising on the guitar. These day, it’s writing my blog. For my wife, it’s painting. She seems super happy when she’s creating while listening to Baroque Period music in the background!
- Spending time with your pack - Play with your dog/pet, talk with your significant other at home. There were countless times when my wife and I would talk about anything for hours. Usually, we would turn off all the lights in the rooms, then stare outside to see the cars driving by. We would play some soothing music as background music, then chat. This is still one of our favorite things to do these days. Cost is zero!
- Having recurring meetings with your significant other on your finances - Sitting down together to assess and plan your financial situation cannot be underestimated. Make this into a habit so you both understand how you’re doing financially. We still do this these days. Cost is zero.
- Doing whatever it is you like to do that costs nothing or close to nothing - Examples are knitting, drawing, playing board games, writing, etc.
Please check out our YouTube channel ‘Wandering Money Pig’ showcasing our travels and our Pomeranian dog! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kl9f4W9sfNG5h1l-x6nH
