The freedom of his time, but more of his money. The transition to retirement is a financial blow for many French people, who have not sufficiently anticipated the loss of income at the end of their professional activity. Pension that is not at the full rate, small retirement, vagaries of life… Many reasons can explain these financial problems, but what are the solutions?
Nicole is 65 years old, a pension above the average, at 1,500 euros net per month, but still quite significant charges. Living alone, she does not own her home and lives in the suburbs of Paris, where the prices of everyday products are often higher than elsewhere. When she retired, almost three years ago, she received a nice severance bonus, which she immediately invested in her savings. The first few months, the sexagenarian has a little trouble not exceeding the budgets she set for her shopping, her outings and her pleasure purchases: “I had the same lifestyle as with my salary, but it It’s not possible once you’re retired,” she told Planet.
Rather than giving up everything she likes – cinema, concerts, museums, restaurants… – Nicole decides to “make ends meet” and find not a “student job” but “a retired job”. She offers her neighbors to babysit their two children when they need it, afternoons, evenings and weekends: “At first, they were a little reluctant, because it was strange for them to employ a woman over 60, they felt like they were exploiting me. Finally, they understood that I was doing this for me and not for them”, laughs Nicole. Depending on the month, she receives 50 to 100 euros and does not see it as a chore, far from it.
The sexagenarian is on the move and the need to regularly visit her family and friends, in Brittany, Strasbourg and or Orleans. While she took the train when she was active, she decided to start carpooling, taking at least one person with her, sometimes two: “I’ve always had a great time with my passengers and, above all, that largely paid for gas and tolls”. His expenses are reimbursed and his trip is almost free!
Once retired, Nicole sifted through her bank statements for the past 12 months and sorted through her subscriptions. Internet, telephone… She has grouped everything with the same operator, in order to benefit from a pack that saves her around ten euros per month. She has also terminated certain subscriptions to the paper press and opted for a digital version of her favorite newspapers, which she reads on her tablet: here again, she earns a little less than ten euros per month. Nothing revolutionary, but it’s always won. Next step, change bank to pay less service fees!