Retirement is something that many people dream of. They are likely to imagine themselves on the beach with their spouse, living it out. However, in most cases, the spouses do not retire at the same time. In fact, since most men are an average of three to six years older than their wives, they usually retire first. When this happens, some interesting things can happen. Take a look at what to expect when you retire before your spouse.

feeling alone

The main thing people feel when they retire before their spouse is loneliness. They are often home alone all day while their spouse is at work and can become very depressed. Surely for the first few weeks they may love their empty house and their lack of responsibility; however, they are likely to shed a little after a short time. When you’re used to seeing people all day and then you’re stuck in a house with no one to talk to, you can quickly feel needy and lonely. The best thing you can do is get out of the house. Make plans with your other retired friends or with yourself. Volunteer to pick up the grandchildren for school and take them to the park. Have lunch with your spouse every week. When you have something to look forward to, you’ll feel great about retirement.

Emergency

Another thing you may feel when you retire before your spouse is urgency. You might think that your spouse should go ahead and retire early. Often this is something that is possible, however in most cases it is not the smart thing to do. After all, you’ve probably planned out your financial future and don’t want to compromise it.