Downsizing After Retirement to Supplement Your Pension

​Many people look forward to retirement, as it finally gives them the opportunity to do something with their golden years rather than worrying about working for hours each day. However, one thing that can hamper your ambitions for finally enjoy life is finances. While you may be receiving an income from your pension, this may be nowhere near as much as your income was. In addition, it may not be enough to fund the type of retirement you want.

So, what can you do in order to fund your retirement and supplement your pension? Well, there are steps you can take in order to cut some costs such as looking for cheaper providers for utilities or finding cheap health insurance to save money. However, one major move you can make it is look at downsizing your property.

Some of the Key Benefits of Downsizing

​There are many people who come to retirement age and find themselves still living in the family property they have been in for years. With the kids generally having left home by this time, the property is often far bigger than you need. Even though your mortgage may be fully paid by this time in your life, you still have to take other points into consideration such as the cost of running a larger property.

Many retired people spend years struggling along on a modest pension while they have tens of thousands – maybe hundreds of thousands – tied up in their property. By selling up and downsizing, you can continue to enjoy a mortgage-free life by paying outright for your new property from the money you get for your property. At the same time, you will also have additional money to put in the bank, enjoy your retirement, and leave to loved ones.

The cost of running a larger home can also make a big difference to your finances. Paying the bills on a larger property can result in your spending far more than you need to when it comes to your bills. This is wasted money if you only make use of part of the property. By downsizing to a smaller property that is cheaper to run, you will not only be able to make use of the money that is tied up in your current property, but you will also be able to reduce how much you have to pay on your bills and expenses.

There is one more major benefit that comes with downsizing. Looking after and maintaining a larger property can be time-consuming and stressful, particularly when you are trying to enjoy your retirement and relax. With a smaller property, you will find it far easier to look after your home. Cleaning, maintenance, and general upkeep will be far easier than with a larger property. 

So, if you want to tap into your equity to help make retirement more enjoyable, downsizing could be the ideal solution. This is a great way to get money in the bank and make life easier once you start drawing your pension.