Retirement is a transitory period in life. And it is a transition that you should start preparing for as early as possible.
There are several things you should buy before you approach retirement age. For example, you should have life insurance policies and maybe even investment bonds to help secure your future.
But there are a few simple things that you should buy now years before you retire.
An AARP membership
You can sign up for an AARP membership at the age of 50. AARP membership starts at $16 for the first year and $12 for each successive year.
With an AARP membership, you can qualify for automatic discounts for online and brick-and-mortar purchases, restaurants, public transit, national park visits, museums, supermarkets, and more.
But AARP membership offers more benefits if you know about them. For instance, you may qualify for a discounted family dental plan through an arrangement between AARP and Delta Dental.
AARP has a job search board that can help you find employers who are looking for full-time and part-time elderly workers.
You may qualify for 30% discounts and automatic upgrades whenever you rent a car through your AARP membership. AARP even offers a form of eye-care insurance for less than $5 monthly.
Considering how cash-strapped many retirees are, you may not be able to afford to not have AARP membership.
Dental work
The typical retired couple could end up paying over $315,000 on health care costs throughout their entire retirement.
One healthcare cost you can preemptively guard against before you retire is dental care. Dental care will never be cheaper again if you are in your 40s and 50s.
And if you don’t take care of your teeth, you may not have them in your 60s and 70s. Your bone density may be weaker and the out-of-pocket costs will be higher.
Medicare does not pay for advanced medical care after you retire. So, you are better off getting any important dental work done now instead of waiting until you are much older.
Good-fitting shoes
The most affordable pre-retirement purchase you might ever make is buying good-fitting shoes.
Keep in the practice of always wearing good-fitting shoes for your wardrobe. Wearing shoes that fit you aid you during exercise and work. And they help you maintain proper balance and guard against falls.
This is not a one-time purchase idea; whenever you buy shoes or sneakers, make sure that they have a tailored fit to your feet. It is a mindset you should practice.
Getting in the habit of wearing well-fitted shoes past retirement age and after taking a nasty fall may defeat the purpose. And it will definitely cost a lot of money in medical care.
