5 Ways Gen X Is Planning To Spend Their Retirement: Are They Prepared Financially?

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Gen X has been working in their careers for multiple decades, and many of them are reaching retirement age. The oldest Gen X members just hit their 60s, while the younger Gen X workers are in their mid-40s. 

It’s natural for anyone to plan out how they will spend their money in retirement. Knowing what your expenses will look like can help Gen X gauge if they have sufficient nest eggs to walk away from their jobs. 

While each person has a different financial playbook, there are a lot of similarities. A recent survey from Transamerica Institute revealed how Gen X plans to spend their money in retirement. 

Traveling

Travel is the biggest bucket item among all workers. The survey revealed that 67% of Gen X workers will spend their retirement traveling.

The costs of travel vary significantly. You can save money by narrowing your travel choices to a two-hour drive, but that may not be feasible for everyone. Meanwhile, some Gen X workers have saved enough money to travel to Europe each year, which is more expensive.

For most retirees, travel is the biggest line item in their spending. The lack of a traditional 9-to-5 job will give them more flexibility to travel. However, it’s important to avoid going overboard with traveling during the first year if your finances are in a tight spot. You still have to make your nest egg last.

Spending More Time With Family and Friends

Most aspiring retirees mentioned spending more time with family and friends, including 58% of Gen X participants. Most people won’t have a financial issue with this option, unless all of your friends and family live in different states that require air travel. 

Spending time with local family and friends is more straightforward. You can go out to a sports game, grab a bite at a local restaurant or find some nearby entertainment options. None of these choices costs much money if they’re local and you do them sporadically.

Pursuing Hobbies and Volunteer Work

Most people don’t have to worry about volunteer work from a financial perspective, but hobbies have varying budgets. Learning a new language isn’t that expensive if you buy books, watch free videos and meet with a tutor each week. However, hobbies like golf and sail boating will cost more money. 

According to Fidelity, the average 401(k) balance for Gen X workers is $192,300. That’s more than enough for most hobbies, but Gen X workers should aim for an amount well above this average to cover regular living costs.

Taking Care of Grandchildren

Nineteen percent of Gen X workers mentioned taking care of their grandchildren during retirement, but this objective has a vast range. Some parents take care of their grandchildren with $100 worth of Christmas gifts each year, while others spend more than $1,000 per year on their grandchildren. 

Most people will have enough funds to give their grandchildren a gift every once in a while. However, the best gift you can give your grandchildren is your time. If you give them the best gifts but don’t show up in their lives, all of the fancy gifts don’t matter.

Starting a Business or New Career

Not every Gen X worker wants to stop working permanently. Eleven percent of them want to start businesses, and an additional 11% want to continue working in the same field.

If you continue to work for as long as you can, you will run into fewer money issues when you retire. Working longer also makes it easier to fund all of your other retirement spending goals.

Most of the mentioned retirement spending goals are affordable. The only exceptions are some hobbies and travel costs. However, if you monitor your nest egg, keep an eye on your expenses, and know that you can always pursue a side hustle or part-time work if necessary, it’s easier to fund your retirement lifestyle.

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