The Retirement Newsletter: Did I stick to my New Year Resolutions?

Issue Number: 13 — This is always a tricky one!

Photo by Author — a Fox Glove in the summer sun

Welcome

Welcome to issue 13 — Did I stick to my New Year resolutions, and how are my predictions going?

It is always fun to conduct a six-month audit of resolutions and predictions (are we halfway through the year? It doesn’t seem possible). So, how are they going?

Predictions for 2024

So, what were my predictions for 2024, and how are they going? Well, I had eight predictions, two good and six bad (I am sure that tells me a lot about how I view life!), so how are things going?

The Good Predictions for 2024

1. A pan-specific COVID-19 jab — although it has all gone quiet on the COVID-19 front, friends of mine seem to be still getting COVID-19, and so far, I have been lucky to avoid it this year. However, I did have a COVID-19 booster in the spring, and that may be helping. The virus is still out there, and I have heard nothing about a pan-specific COVID-19 jab — shame. There are still six months to go, so there is still time for something to be announced.

2. AI will make our lives easier — well, I think it is making our lives easier, and I have been surprised by how much I use AI such as chatGPT. I use it daily, and the app is always open on my computer. AI is making my life easier.

The Bad Predictions for 2024

1. A new ‘super-variant’ COVID-19 will emerge. — this was on the list last year and is again this year — so far, nothing. A few new strains have popped up, but nothing significant as far as I know.

2. I have a horrible feeling that we will get what the financial people call “a correction”—that is, stock prices will fall, hitting my pension. — we are six months in, and stock prices seem OK. However, this appears to be driven by the tech industries, particularly those associated with AI. This could be a problem.

3. There will be a recession — we had one in the UK. Minor, but we had one.

4. The war in Ukraine will continue — sadly, this is still ongoing and seems to be getting worse.

5. The war between Israel and Gaza will spread — also, sadly, still ongoing, and so far, it hasn’t spread (much).

6. AI will have an unexpected harmful impact — again, nothing serious has happened so far, and we seem to be seeing benefits.

This all appears to be a bit gloomy, with only two good and six bad. One of the ‘goods’ seems to be coming true, and the ‘bad’ seems to be mixed.

Resolutions for 2024

How are things going with my resolutions?

The first four have been standards for the last 30 years:

1. Lose some weight — I appear to be having some success here. Time will tell.

2. Get fitter — again, success, I am slowly getting fitter.

3. Work fewer hours — this has sort of happened. I have stopped working and am now retired. Hence, I work fewer hours but seem busier than ever as I have engaged in various side hustles.

4. Declutter the house — another benefit of retirement is that I now have the time to declutter. However, this has slowed as I have become more involved in my side hustles.

5. Keep working on my pension plan — this has stopped since I retired.

6. Keep The Retirement Newsletter running — so far, so good.

7. Launch a paid version of The Retirement Newsletter — tick done. It didn’t turn out to be a paid version of this newsletter, but a brand-new newsletter called The Retirement Side Hustle.

8. Sort out my subscriptions — I did this last year, but it needs to be done again. I have done it again this year but I still need to do more.

9. Get my YouTube channel sorted out and reach over 1,000 subscribers — I am on track. I now have over 900 subscribers, and I hope to make 1,000 by the end of the year. I have also launched a new YouTube Channel on Travel.

10. Start bringing in some money from side-hustles — this is a work in progress, and you can find out more at The Retirement Side Hustle.

So, how is it going? Well, I have completed three out of ten (5, 6 and 7), and the rest, I would say, are works in progress. I am particularly pleased with my progress on my weight and fitness. I just need to keep that going.

I’ll let you know how it all went at the end of the year.

This week in the Retirement Hustle

In The Retirement Side Hustle Newsletter this week, I discussed Maximising Your YouTube Side Hustle: The Power of Evergreen Content.

I made this video because before producing videos for YouTube, you need to decide on the type of content you will make — will it be evergreen or time-sensitive?

If you are interested in making videos for YouTube as part of your side hustle, make sure you are making the right type of content—evergreen or time-sensitive.

Next week, in The Retirement Side Hustle Newsletter, I will examine faceless and on-camera videos and discuss which you might like to use.

Travel — Nostalgia Corner

This week in Travel Nostalgia, I’m sharing more stories from my visit to Vietnam; this week, it’s Ha Long Bay.

• Vietnam — Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — part 1 of 3 — Exploring Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

• Vietnam — Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — part 2 of 3 — An interesting experience. Does the bau live up to the hype?

• Vietnam — Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — part 3 of 3 — What was the bay like?

• Vietnam — Vong Vieng Village (day 1), Ha Long Bay, Vietnam— Getting out on the water in a small boat was good.

• Vietnam — Fishing Village, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — The downside of tourism and local government — where have all the fishing villages gone?

• Vietnam — Sellers in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — Being chased across the bay. You had to admire their stamina and persistence.

Next week, I wrap up my time in Ha Long Bay.

Next week

Next week, in issue 14, I look at the tricky business of dealing with imposter syndrome in retirement.

Thanks

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Until next time,

Nick

PS: If you want to contribute something to the newsletter — a story, advice, or anything else — please get in touch.

Please note: I am not a financial advisor. When I write about money and financial matters, I base my opinions on what I have read over the years about money and retirement preparation. IT IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE.