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12 Great Things About Retirement

By U.S. News & World Report

Newfound freedom

Some people wonder what they will do with all their extra time after they retire. They fear they’ll become irrelevant, aimless or out of sorts. There are certainly pitfalls of retirement, such as boredom, loneliness and even depression. That’s why retirees should decide what’s important to them, plan out their future and appreciate retirement for the exceptional opportunity that it really is. Here are a dozen reasons to look forward to retirement.

You’re free of the ambition drug.

Suddenly you don’t care whether or not you get promoted, and the jockeying for a better title or an office with a window seems so petty. A weight is lifted from your shoulders when you quit the rat race.

You can catch up on movies you’ve always wanted to see.

Maybe you were too busy with your career and kids to follow some of the great directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen and Robert Altman. Now you can go on Netflix or Amazon, or just borrow DVDs from the library, and enjoy some of the great stories of our time.

You can keep up with current TV programs.

Whether you’re watching cable, Netflix or another streaming service, you can join the conversation about “House of Cards,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Better Call Saul,” “Grace and Frankie” and other smart TV shows.

You have time to join a book club.

Some groups alternate between classics like “Anna Karenina” and modern stories like “Gone Girl.” Others keep up with the best-seller lists, with well-known books from “The Girl on the Train” to “The Boys in the Boat.” And still others are theme-oriented, whether it’s mindfulness and spiritual issues or history and politics. Regardless, a book club is both socially engaging and intellectually stimulating.

You can still work part time.

Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a job here and there. A lot of retirees carry over assignments from their old company, while others parley their personal interests into a moneymaking gig.

You can babysit your grandchildren.

Many retirees feel both useful and appreciated when they make it possible for their children to pursue a career, and they relish the opportunity to create deep and lasting memories with their grandchildren — memories that will last long after grandma and grandpa are gone.

There’s time to give back.

Many retirees find it enormously rewarding to volunteer their skills to worthy charitable organizations, whether it’s the Lions Club or the Kiwanis, their condo association, the local food pantry or a community college. Donating time to a worthy cause can add meaning to your retirement years.

You can travel extensively.

Almost everyone’s bucket list includes a trip to some special place, from the Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall of China to the Grand Canyon and the Empire State Building. With no job to hurry back to, you can roam the world at your own pace.

You have the time to do nothing.

Finally, there’s time to enjoy the pleasure of sitting on the front porch or the back deck and soak up the atmosphere, reflecting on your life and basking in the cool breezes wafting across your face. You can break free of the cycle of busyness and immerse yourself in the simple rhythms of life.

You can live your dream.

Some people have a half-written novel in their study or an unfinished piece of woodworking in the basement. Retirement gives you the time to write the rest of your story and even publish it online, complete the projects in your workshop or make jewelry or crochet sweaters and sell them on Etsy.

There’s no pressure, no stress and no problems.

It’s the freedom that many retirees appreciate so much. You’ll enjoy freedom from the pressure to get ahead at work, get your kid into college and keep up with the neighbors.

You get to do what you want, not what others want you to do.

In retirement there are no more expectations. You no longer have to please your parents or bear responsibility for your kids. You can move to the city or the country. You can do something or do nothing. No matter how well-financed you may or may not be, you can live the lifestyle of the truly wealthy: You can do what you want and answer to nobody.

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12 Great Things About Retirement originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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