Hi, I’m Jeremy Riggs, certified financial planner at Bass Wealth Management. After sitting across the table from hundreds of clients in their 60s and beyond, I’ve noticed a handful of habits that quietly steal joy from retirement. Let’s walk through them quickly, conversationally, and see if any of these sound familiar.
First, once your nest egg can comfortably cover the life you want, give yourself permission to stop hoarding every dollar. By 60, compounding growth often does more heavy lifting than fresh contributions. If your portfolio is already generating more than you spend, loosen the grip and direct some of that cash towards today.
But—and this is the second lesson—don’t spend just to spend. The happiest retirees steer money towards things that actually light them up. A trip with the grandkids, season tickets with friends, a delayed guitar purchase. Spending to impress neighbors, or out of guilt, never delivers the same return.
Closely tied to that: stop trading time for money you don’t need. If work still excites you, fantastic—keep at it. The moment it doesn’t, remember time is the scarcer currency. Money can rebound. Tuesdays never come back.
That leads to a fourth point: quit postponing big experiences. Too many people treat retirement like a finish line for living. Then health, family, or world events reshuffle the deck. If a dream is hiking Machu Picchu or renting a beach house for everyone on Thanksgiving, sketch it onto the calendar.
Now, speaking of health, the fifth habit is obvious yet often ignored: stop letting your body ride in the back seat. A million-dollar portfolio is great, but without energy and mobility, it’s just numbers on a screen. Walk, swim, lift, stretch—whatever keeps you strong enough to enjoy the money you’ve saved.
Number six: let go of other people’s expectations. Research on life regrets is crystal clear. People wish they’d lived their own agenda, not the script others handed to them. If a plan or purchase feels right to you and harmless to others, that’s reason enough.
Seventh, dial down the doom scrolling. Staying informed is one thing; marinating in 24-hour outrage is another. Clients who limit repetitive news cycles usually sleep better and make calmer financial choices.
Next, don’t ignore your plan, but don’t be a prisoner to it either. Revisit the numbers every year or two. Adjust for markets and goals. Then close the spreadsheet and go live. A plan is a compass, not a cage.
Finally, remember, none of us has an endless runway. So quit acting as if someday is guaranteed. Call the old friend. Book the cooking class. Schedule the health screening. Small moves now beat perfect plans later.
If you’ll drop even one of these habits, I promise retirement starts feeling lighter. If you’re not sure whether you’ve saved enough to stop saving, let’s run the math together. Until then, spend wisely, live fully, and keep your focus on what matters most.
