When you imagine retirement, what does your perfect day look like? Do you see yourself waking up in a cozy home with a view you’ve always dreamed of? Traveling to new places? Volunteering in your community? Or maybe spending more time on hobbies, passions, or friendships that energize you?
Whatever your vision is, one thing is certain: every dream comes with a price tag. Too often, people plan for the basic (housing, food, bills) without considering the lifestyle costs that truly define their retirement.
If you’re child-free, this exercise becomes even more important. Without children shaping your choices or providing a fallback, you have full freedom to design retirement exactly the way you want it. But that freedom comes with responsibility: understanding what your lifestyle will cost and making sure you’ve prepared for it.
In this article, you will learn the importance of valuing your retirement dreams, why it matters, and how you can start planning now to help turn vision into reality. And if you want to take the next step, join me for my webinar Retirement Planning for Near-Retirees Without Children, where I’ll show you how to align your money with your ideal retirement life. [Click here to register].
The Power of Visualization
Most financial planning conversations focus on numbers, but your retirement isn’t just about math—it’s about meaning. That’s why one of the most powerful tools in planning is visualization.
Start by asking yourself simple but powerful questions:
- What gets me up in the morning?
- Where do I live, and what does my environment look like?
- What activities am I enjoying regularly?
- Am I traveling? Volunteering? Exploring new hobbies?
- Who do I spend time with, and how does that fuel my happiness?
By painting this picture in detail, you begin to understand not just what you want but what it will take financially to make it happen.
In the webinar, I’ll guide you through this very exercise and show you how to translate your vision into real numbers. [Click here to reserve your spot].
Beyond the Basics
When people think about retirement budgets, they often stop at the basics: mortgage or rent, groceries, utilities, insurance. These are important, but they don’t capture the full story.
The things that make retirement meaningful—travel, hobbies, giving back, personal growth—come with costs that are easy to overlook. For example:
- That annual overseas trip you’ve always dreamed about.
- A membership at a club, gym, or art studio that keeps you active and connected.
- Courses or workshops to learn new skills.
- Charitable giving or community projects you want to support.
These aren’t “extras”—they’re the pieces that make retirement fulfilling. If you don’t plan for them, you may end up living a retirement that’s financially stable but emotionally unfulfilling.
Calculating Your Monthly Cash Needs
Once you’ve defined your ideal retirement day, the next step is to calculate the cost of living it
This includes:
- Core living expenses: Housing, food, utilities, transportation.
- Healthcare costs: Premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, long-term care.
- Lifestyle spending: Travel, hobbies, dining out, memberships, entertainment.
- Flex funds: The cushion for spontaneity, because retirement should have room for joy and surprises.
This exercise often surprises people. What feels like a modest vision can add up quickly. But it’s far better to know now and plan accordingly than to discover later that your savings don’t match your dreams.
Balancing Dreams With Reality
Of course, planning for your ideal retirement doesn’t mean ignoring reality. It’s about balancing aspiration with practicality. If your vision feels out of reach today, don’t let that discourage you.
Instead, use it as a guidepost. You may need to adjust timing, scale, or priorities, but by keeping your vision front and center, you ensure your retirement planning remains anchored to what really matters to you.
Why This Matters Even More Without Children
For child-free retirees, clarity about your vision is especially critical. Without children shaping family obligations, your retirement is truly a blank canvas. That’s empowering, but it also requires intentionality.
You have full permission to design a retirement centered on your passions, values, and relationships—but only if you’ve done the planning to support it. Otherwise, freedom can quickly turn into financial stress.
Turning Vision Into Action
Visualization is powerful, but it only becomes transformative when paired with action. That’s where financial planning comes in—bridging the gap between your dream and your day-to-day reality.
That’s exactly what we’ll cover in my webinar Retirement Planning for Near-Retirees Without Children. You’ll learn strategies to:
- Translate your ideal retirement vision into clear financial targets.
- Anticipate hidden costs so you’re not caught by surprise.
- Align your income, investments, and savings with your goals.
Register today and start turning your vision of retirement into a plan you can live. [Click here to register].
Final Thoughts
Your ideal retirement day is more than a daydream—it’s a blueprint for a life well lived. By putting a price on your vision, you gain clarity, focus, and the ability to make choices that align with your deepest values.
Retirement without children gives you a unique opportunity: to define your own path without compromise. With the right planning, you can wake up each day knowing you’re living the retirement you imagined.
Join me in the webinar to take the first step toward bringing your vision to life. [Click here to register].
Investment advisory services are offered through Keating Financial Advisory Services (KFAS), a registered investment advisor. Advisory services are provided pursuant to a written agreement and the firm’s Form ADV Part 2A. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute personalized financial advice.
