29 Stories From Retired People Revealing What They Do All Day
Retired people, I envy you; aging is nothing to fear! Recently, I decided to ask retirees in the BuzzFeed Community what they do with all their time now that they're retired, and OMG, their answers were enlightening. Here are some of the best:
1."[The] first thing we did was move out of the city to the mountains. Then we got two dogs."
"We always wanted dogs, [but] we were always working and it would not have been fair to the dogs to be left alone all day.
"Now our lives revolve around the dogs. We spend our days outside working in the garden with the dogs, hiking with the dogs, and teaching them to run the agility course we built for them. We were so consumed with work we had nothing left to give. Now we sit on the porch and talk about our day with the dogs. They are very good listeners."
2."Once the day breaks I am ready for a 20+ mile bike ride which takes me [about] 80 minutes. If it’s spring [or] summer I tend to yard work (lawns, fruit care, home upkeep), [and] during winter months I continue to bike ride."
"[There's] not much outdoor work in winter so usually [I stay entertained] with movies, reading, [and] indoor upkeep. Retirement is/has been a time to catch up on premium time lost during the work phase."
3."I took a summer job for two years where I learned to fly a drone. A very, very big drone, which dropped mosquito larvicide for mosquito control. Probably the best job I ever had."
"I had to lift and carry a lot of 40-pound bags of larvicide and two of us carried the 62-pound drone and the battery boxes. I would still be doing that except the summers were just too hot. So we moved to a more moderate climate and now we work in the yard, walk the beaches with our dog, and hike in the mountains.
"The best part is no alarms in the morning."
4."I am 74 (wife is 78) and I'm still working two days a week. She's been retired for a decade. [On] my days off I engage in physical activity such [as] playing golf, riding [my] bike, and walking. We are blessed with two grown successful children, both [of whom are] now parents who are not afraid to ask our opinions."
Peopleimages / Getty Images, Nanostockk / Getty Images/iStockphoto
"Last but best, we both enjoy spending quality time with four grand baby girls, 8 months, 2 years, 4 years, and 6 years [old]. Teaching them to swim, reading books, and just getting down on the floor and playing silly games. Life does not have to be complicated to be great."
5."Retirement in the U.S. varies widely depending on savings and Social Security income. Fortunately, we lived frugally and saved, so we took trips to Hawaii, Alaska, and Europe."
Valeriano Garrido / Getty Images/iStockphoto, Gerald Corsi / Getty Images
"But we never really traveled during our working years, so [we're] making up for lost time. We also went to concerts and theater performances. Daily activities include walks to nearby parks, local sites, food shopping, doctor's appointments, visiting family, going to the gym, etc.
"The beauty of retirement is the ability to do things during weekdays when younger folks are working. Same with travel — the ability to travel when kids are in school."
6."I traveled the world relentlessly for ten years, including two world cruises. (What an amazing world!)"
"After COVID settled down, I moved to a 550-person senior community, where I write for and help edit the resident-run newsletter, join with other former lawyers in discussing legal opinions from SCOTUS, play bridge, and co-host monthly TeamTrivia.
"The rest of my time is spent fulminating about politics and laughing uproariously with my fabulous partner of 48 years about the inanities, insanities, and general nonsense of contemporary life."
—Anonymous
7."I sail on cruise ships to beautiful places with friends — various tropical islands and several European countries. In between cruises I get high and purge an accumulation of 60 years' worth of 'stuff,' [which] I donate to charity."
"I also veg and do nothing. Worked 47 years so I deserve to do whatever I want to do now, even if that something is nothing. Did I mention I get high?"
8."Watch baseball."
—Dave
9."My parents are retired and they spend their time being basically the best grandparents ever."
"My mom learned how to sew when the first grandchild came along, so she is always making the most adorable clothes, bags, hats, etc. for my kids.
"My dad takes the kids on rides in his golf cart where they’ll go hunting for left-behind golf balls on the golf course. He gives them a quarter for each golf ball they find. The kids love it and always have a blast. One time he took them hunting for 'pirate treasure' down by the creek where, unbeknownst to them, he had pre-placed random little trinkets for them to find. They still talk about it to this day like it was the most epic thing ever. ♥️"
10."I participate in Silver Sneakers exercise classes and serve as a board member of United Cerebral Palsy of Georgia. I walk, bake banana bread for gifts, and travel with my husband. Finally, [I conduct] LOTS of decluttering!"
—Anonymous
11."I make breakfast for my spouse and mother-in-law, [and] make needed calls for my wife as she works online and can't talk. [I] clean house [and] go to stores for needed items. Make lunches for [my] mother-in-law and wife — two different diets. Take care of any yard work needed, empty trash, [and] prep dinner for four people: my son lives with us."
"Everyone has a different diet so that's four different meals. Put up cleaned dishes, place dirty dishes in dishwasher, get the mail as needed, review and pay bills. After dinner, I sit down for about 30 minutes then go take a cold shower [and] maybe watch the news.
"My son keeps saying when he retires he'll just sleep. Good luck on that.
"[My] weekend is a little less busy but I'll still try to maintain the same order and cleanliness. At the moment I'm also babysitting my three grandkids; one is 10, and the others are 4, so they wake at 5 a.m. and don't stop until 10 p.m . Thank God they love veggies and I can have grape tomatoes, celery, broccoli, and carrots cut up for them.
"I'm 70. So some days are demanding but I'm busy and that's what's important."
—Anonymous
12."My wife does whatever she wants, whenever she wants and has the money to afford it."
13."My parents are retired and I’m pretty sure they and their other retired friends spend about half of their time playing pranks on one another, from stealthily placing random yard inflatables in their front lawns to hiding hundreds of super tiny plastic ducks all throughout each other’s homes. They have too much fun."
"The plotting and scheming [were] taken to a new level when a retired couple my parents are friends with had recently just got done doing a ton of yard work. Their yard looked beautiful. While they were out of town, my parents stuck a fake 'Yard of the Month' sign in their yard.
"They then took it a step further and typed up an official-looking letter 'from the HOA' inviting the couple to a luncheon at the country club 'in honor of their dedication to the beautification process of the community' and mailed it to them through the USPS. When the couple showed up at the country club at the designated day and time for the luncheon, I was standing in the lobby waiting to greet them as 'Wanda Scherzmacher, Chair of the Neighborhood Beautification Committee' with [an] official-looking name tag and all. (Yes, my parents roped me into being their accomplice).
"Upon showing the couple to their table, they were surprised to find my parents and other friends already seated at the table cheering, hooting, & hollering as they enthusiastically waved 'Yard of the Month' signs in the air. The couple immediately burst into laughter and proceeded to enjoy their lunch, which was rightfully paid for by my parents."
—Anonymous
14."I bake—a lot. I have a small patio garden. I watch my 3-year-old grandson a couple days a week. I take my teenage grandchildren to our water park every weekend."
"I work PRN as an RN about four shifts a month. I learned how to do primitive rug hooking, [and] I have plenty of time to spend cleaning the house; no excuses like 'I’ve worked hard all week, so I’m too tired to clean.'
"I’ve worked very hard my whole life dreaming of the day I could retire, and it is even better than I could have imagined!"
15."I got bored and went back to work at a local college. I get the summers off and I volunteer at a soup kitchen where we prepare meals for 170 kids a day. It keeps me busy and I always plan four trips a year."
—Jane
16."My friend went back to [substitute teach] after retirement. [i] asked, why did he retire? [He] said, “[The] district gave me $85k cash, golden handshake.”
17."Cleaning carpet. Fixing leaky faucets. Fixing leaky toilets. Fixing garage door openers. Planting grass seed. Crunching numbers on spreadsheets. Meeting friends for lunch. Going to car shows. Working out."
—Anonymous
18."Five months into retirement at age 68, I don’t do anything I don’t want to. No more timelines, production reports, or managers worrying about things less important than production."
"I’ve worked on home projects like a raised bed garden, a walkway to my flagpole, landscaping projects, taking a grandson kayaking and fishing, [and have] painted the handrails leading to our front door.
"Most satisfying of all, I’ve worked up to walking three miles five days a week and weight training three days a week. I am really enjoying this as it allows me time to listen to podcasts (that fill most of my mornings), stimulating my mind [along with] improving my physical health.
"The quality of my sleep has significantly improved as stress has been eliminated from my life. We saved enough to live for 40 or more years. With a life expectancy of 16 to 25 years,[we have] a better quality of life than we’ve ever lived in our lives. Once my wife retires we’ll be free to do most anything we want, short of buying multiple homes or purchasing a private jet. Life in retirement is GRAND!"
—Anonymous
19."My wife passed away. I really don't do much: watch my grandson, watch way [too] much TV, and play video games. Really need to go back to work."
—Bob
20."I'm now 82. I work on computer music and occasionally art (I was an arts grant recipient in 1976).
—Jim
21."I love water, so I’m in the pool every Monday to Friday starting at 7 a.m. for two hours."
—Anonymous
22."I have an art room where I go every day. I take classes in mixed media collage and art journaling. I make any kind of art I want and I do it to please myself. It is not for sale."
"I also run a book club in my neighborhood, and l will read as much as I want. Also, I enjoy overseas travel and yummy grandchildren."
—Anonymous
23."Every day is a Saturday except Sunday."
24."I help my neighbors. Some brush removal, some handyman tasks, some hard-scraping around their houses (walls, pathways, drainage projects)."
"The only expense for them is the cost of materials. And that is often 'discounted.' They think I have a $10 store, where all their supplies are $10.
"My neighborhood extends to anyone who asks for help. Most folks live close, but if you have a friend of a friend who knows someone [who] lives across the street… They become my neighbor.
"Before, I did this when I had time. Now, I can do it full-time. I’m 64 years old."
—Anonymous
25."I got bored and started a little e-commerce business in my garage. I thought it would be a nice easy retirement job. Ha, now busy as heck and make more money than I ever did working, but enjoying it."
26."I start my day by going to the gym for two hours. Those people [who] knew me in the past would faint if they heard that… lol!"
—Anonymous
27."I write and record rock songs on my computer."
BBC / Via giphy.com
—Anonymous
28."I volunteer at two hospitals. Gets me out of the house, gives me social interaction, and keeps me thinking of others. The employees really appreciate it because if I don't do my tasks, they have to do them."
29.And finally: "I just live. I wake up with no alarm, read the news in my bathrobe, pet the cat. I have some breakfast, usually cottage cheese and fruit, then I get dressed casually, then maybe run some errands, go to the gym."
"I eat a small lunch and then take a nap. When I wake up, I usually tidy up my condo; I love being able to keep it pristine. Then I go to my craft room and create something while watching a movie.
"In [the] late afternoon I sit on my front patio and say hello to my neighbors who are just getting home from work. When I go back in I decide what to have for dinner, maybe try a new recipe. I eat while watching the evening local news. I live in Vegas so it’s never boring.
"After dinner, I have phone time: I call my brother, or a cousin, or an old friend, just to chat. I take a shower, get ready for bed, and then watch a documentary or a true crime show. I head to bed around midnight. Not working is HEAVENLY!"
IDK about you guys, but that last one is my absolute ideal life, and I am going to be working hard to attain it. If you have any thoughts, please, feel free to share them down below!
