The BIGGEST Retirement Mistake for 2024 | Retirement Travelers

In today's video we discuss why retirement is not a time to play "not to lose" and why offense might be your best strategy!

More and more people might face a tough time in retirement. Low-paying jobs, inflation, and high rents make it hard to save. Now, middle-class Americans find it tough to own a home too, leaving them without a place to retire.

I’ve spent 41 years (so far) as an international flight attendant, I’ve seen the world and am still seeing new treasures all while being paid to do it; my idea of retirement is staying home, which is okay with me ! 🎉

The key is expenses. Low expenses, low amount needed for retirement. I have only averaged $50,000 a year over the last three years. Home paid off and no debts.This is less than 1% of my portfolio. Did all major work to my home back in 2020, new roof, siding, paint, along with renovating the bathrooms. Can get a fully subsidized ACA plan, keep my AGI in the 12% bracket and still live the life I currently do as a successful business owner. Just gotta keep that "Just one more year" voice out of my head. Retirement date, May 30th 2024.

John and Bev; you've changed my life! I've been watching your videos for about a year and after I watched your minimalist lifestyle and the Swedish Death Cleaning episodes, I slowly began the process of simplifying and downsizing. Now, a year later I have completed the process to sell /give away/ donate everything I own except my car and a roomful of stuff left at my best friend's house. It's the most liberating thing I've ever done and actually none of my friends thought I was crazy; they were supportive and a bit envious; some were even inspired by me to begin their own process of simplifying. The best part of the story is that once I cleared the physical clutter in my life, the mental clutter vanished too. And nearly immediately I was offered an amazing opportunity to go to Panama and work on a long-term nature conservation project. So, I'm learning Spanish and am leaving in June for my next adventure! Thanks so much and I'm happy you are enjoying South Africa. I may be leading a wildlife sketching tour there so I hope to head there this fall and do some volunteering there. Thanks for all your videos and the inspiration to follow my dreams! Hugs, Christine

This one hit me HARD! I have been holding myself back for the sake of my grown children, waiting for them to need me...I travelled extensively as a young adult, before I had my own family and bided my time until I could get back on the road. Now that I am free of responsibility to others I have been dragging my feet. Watching you two at the New River Gorge (not far from my NC home), jumping, made me want to lurch forward again. I am alone now but no less excited about journeying out. Thank you for the swift kick in the pants!

This is one of the best videos on retirement! My husband and I retired early and have embarked on our go-go years. We are having the time of our lives with lots of travelling. Just got into a conversation last week with someone still working in their seventies, not because they can’t financially stop, but they don’t know what they would do with their time. Just don’t understand it! My husband and I are taking on many of your recommendations. Keep posting. You are a great inspiration for all to realize what is possible!! Enjoy your journey, we’ll be tuning in!

Yes! Yes! Best video ever. There are so many videos on Time Money and Stuff, especially stuff – hoarding, decluttering, arranging, cleaning. What to pack, what to leave out, how to arrange, in what bags, the best stuff, the worst stuff, but hardly any videos on Expectations and Ego. As a solo woman traveller, I receive a lot shock and surprise that I am adventuring alone. It is harder and easier to travel alone. A lot of the ‘hard’ is letting go of expectations and ego. Fear will probably always be my shadow but I am not going to get less fearful by sitting around at home. It is amazingly wonderful that you have each other but just to tell folks, you can also have joy, adventure and creative travels on your own.

Bev and John, seriously, this was a great episode. A real “come to Jesus” call to action for those waiting on the sidelines and living vicariously through your videos. Thanks for the wake up call.

Such important points. My financial planner has retired clients living in care homes sitting on huge nest eggs that they never got to enjoy at all. I retired at 58 and started travelling at sixty. So glad I did.

I totally agree with the 3 stages of retirement. My sister died of cancer 3 months after she retired so I retired early at 61 and sold most everything and put the rest in a Pod container while I figured out where I wanted to retire. I went to Spanish language school fulltime the first 7 months and am now functional in Spanish which is spoken in 26 countries. I chose to retire in southern US but like taking several big trips a year as health permits. I was cured of cancer 7 months ago so I asked my financial planner to free up some money so I could travel this year now that I feel good. He did and Im so excited about my upcoming trips! I imagine my go go years are about over but only the Lord Jesus Christ knows. It’s so comforting to know my times are in His hands ❤ Thanks for the great videos!!

Your good health is the greatest asset you can have to take you into retirement, no matter how much wealth you have. Be good to your mind and body.

Well said !! Also when a person gets too defensive, their comfort zone for being adventurous start diminishing, their ability to do certain treks goes away. I would rathe travel the world at 60 than 80.

Isn’t it liberating when you realize how great it is when you finally dance to your own beat? I was like that since I was a kid, and I just didn’t care what others thought lol. They picked on me, and I still didn’t conform. I consider myself soooo fortunate that I had the gumption to be true to myself. Because that’s the most important thing, right? I love that about the two of you. Keep on trucking, and loving your life. Peace and love to you both.

Hi, just want to say that I have found your videos to be inspirational as I am a 55yr oil who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer less than a year ago. Everything I (and my husband) watch goes through this filter, and I thank you so much for telling us about Bev's health issues. You are both wonderful to watch.

This is the BEST video you've ever made in my opinion. Amazing and TRUE advice from someone who helps people retire every day. Thank you for this- we'll be sharing this video! ❤

Getting up now to go clean out a closet, retiring in September, thank you for your motivating videos!

Such wise words and so very true! We are retired couple, heading to Greece, New Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia in a few weeks. We are just going and spending as much time at each place as we want to get to know the culture and the people. Super excited and Nervous but that is what makes it fun. A high Adventure awaits. Thank you for your wonderful videos and encouragement. We all need a kick in the behind to enjoy the life we have while we still can. Blessings

We've interupted our go-go to care for our parents... sure wish they'd heard this message 20 years ago! Oh well, we'll get back out there & join you again soon enough. Thanks for this vid - true, true, true!!!!

This was such a great episode! Thank you so much. We are 44 and 53 years old and planning to retire next year and do full time travel. Life is too short so we need to enjoy it however we can. From Tracy and Tony in Australia 🇦🇺