Researchers for Legal & General Home Finance (there has to be a sponsor for these types of surveys) found that far from planning a ‘pipe and slippers-style’ retirement, today’s generation of fifty-somethings are plotting dramatic changes during their golden years. While 'seeing the world' was top of the list of ambitions, learning a foreign language and going to more concerts also ranked highly.
The list also offers a peek into the weird and wonderful plans, which many over-55s currently harbour. While getting a tattoo is not on my personal list, I am aware of several of my contemporaries, whom intend to endure the pain-fest imminently. Yet, online dating and even learning to swim all made the top 30, as did hiring a personal trainer and learning to play the guitar, or in my case the ukulele. It also emerged that more than half of those participating in the survey said they were confident they WOULD achieve their goals.
Harold Pritchard, distribution director at Legal & General Home Finance, said: “Retirement isn’t what it used to be. Rather than taking it easy, many of our customers look forward to having even more freedom and to taking on new projects and hobbies.”
The study also found skydiving, running a marathon and climbing a mountain ranked highly on the list of later life-goals. Buying a motorbike, getting remarried and even working on building a muscly six-pack stomach also emerged as ambitions. In addition, the study found 78% of adults in this age group believed that having life-goals was highly important. Meanwhile, 82% said they wanted something to aim at, with 32% being keen to show that, regardless of their age, they could do anything that they wanted.
Overall, some 81% of the 2,000 adults over 55, who were polled, said that they 'felt younger' than their actual age, with only 17% feeling their actual age, or older. No less than seven in 10 admitted they had a list of things they would love to tick-off before shuffling-off their mortal coils. Yet, among the things said to prevent Brits from enjoying activities on their bucket lists, are financial, or time, issues, along with a feeling they may now be ‘too old’.
A feeling that life is better now than it ever has been for the older generation also prevails, according to the study conducted via OnePoll.com, with 85% of respondents expressing happiness at their current situation. More than four in five adults over 55 have settled their mortgages and 77% described themselves as ‘financially comfortable’.
Harold Pritchard added: “More than half of the people we spoke to said that money held them back from achieving their life goals. At Legal & General Home Finance we are helping people access the equity tied up in their homes. We know our customers are using their drawdowns for a variety of reasons, from ‘holidays of a lifetime’, to helping the grandkids onto the property ladder, which is great, because we are committed to helping people enjoy the best retirement they can have.”
TOP 30 LIFE-LONG GOALS
1. Travel more
2. Visit Australia
3. Learn a foreign language
4. Retire
5. Drive along Route 66 in America
6. Move abroad
7. Downsize my home
8. Go to more gigs and concerts
9. Pay off the mortgage
10. Eat in a Michelin-star restaurant
11. Volunteer for a charity
12. Buy a sports car
13. Take up painting
14. Learn to play guitar
15. Learn to swim
16. Get a personal trainer
17. Have liposuction or a tummy tuck
18. Get a degree
19. Climb a mountain
20. Get a six-pack
21. Start dating again
22. Do a skydive
23. Run a marathon
24. Have an affair
25. Get a tattoo
26. Buy a motorbike
27. Get remarried
28. Get my kids to move out
29. Get a divorce
30. Try online dating
