Skip to main content

7 Ways to Prevent Loneliness After You Retire

By U.S. News & World Report

When you retire from work, you retire from pressure, stress, deadlines, performance reviews, boring meetings and that annoying guy down the hall who spends all day making personal phone calls that everyone can hear. But you will also leave behind something that is more important than you may realize: human contact. While most of your colleagues probably aren’t close, personal friends, just being around people provides a certain level of socialization that you will miss once you retire.

A recent study by the University of California–San Francisco revealed that 43 percent of the people surveyed who were over 60 years old reported feeling lonely on a regular basis. Two-thirds of the adults who said they were lonely live with a spouse or other partner, which indicates that you shouldn’t rely upon your spouse to be your sole source of companionship.

[Read: 12 Regrets You Can Avoid in Retirement.]

While you work, social contact happens easily and automatically. After you retire, you can still find plenty of ways to stay socially engaged, but it requires a little more initiative on your part. Here are seven ways to stay socially active and prevent loneliness after you retire.

Take classes. Whether it’s an art class, a cooking class, a language class or a salsa dancing class, you are bound to meet other people with similar interests. Your local community center or library probably offers inexpensive classes covering a wide variety of topics. Your local college may have programs in which seniors can attend classes that have empty seats on a non-credit basis.

Join or organize a club. A book discussion group, an investment club, a restaurant-of-the-week club, a wine-tasting club or other group based around a common interest will bring people together. Most of these groups will provide mental stimulation as well. Check the activity calendar at your local community center or use an online tool such as Meetup.com to find an existing group or start one of your own. Toastmasters clubs provide an excellent venue to meet new people, share your knowledge and experiences with others and become a better speaker.

Volunteer. One of the best ways to find a sense of purpose and happiness is to help others who are less fortunate. Volunteering is also a great way to add more culture to your life and meet people at the same time. You can become a docent or tour guide at a museum or an usher at a concert hall, for example. If you have business or teaching skills, you can become a mentor. You can also join a local service club such as Lions or Kiwanis.

[Read: 7 Tips to Maintain Social Connections in Retirement.]

Join an activity group — or start one. This could be a hiking group or a group that walks up and down the halls of shopping malls. There are groups that take day trips to local points of interest. A local gym may offer exercise groups for yoga, aerobics, water aerobics and more that are targeted at seniors.

Join a local chorus or band. Most communities have local choruses and bands that welcome people of all ages and ability levels. Don’t worry if it’s been years since you sang or played your instrument. You will be surprised at how quickly your skills return. Pursuing an artistic endeavor is an excellent way to nourish your creativity as well as provide a way to meet others.

Call, write to or visit a friend every day. Today, it is easier than ever to reconnect with friends from all stages of your life using social media tools such as Facebook. While social media provides a means for initial contact and surface-level interaction, you can cultivate more meaningful connections with people by calling them, writing a personal letter or email or, if they are local, getting together occasionally.

[Read: The Pros and Cons of Living Near Family in Retirement.]

Invite people over. You don’t have to throw lavish, expensive parties. You can simply invite a few people over for card games or board games, a potluck or a movie night. Don’t worry if your home is modest or if it’s not spotless from floor to ceiling. People are coming to enjoy spending time with you and the other guests, not to inspect your home.

Loneliness doesn’t have to be a characteristic of your retirement years. With some possibility thinking and effort, you can discover or create a variety of physical activities, mentally stimulating activities and fulfilling activities that involve meaningful interaction with other people.

Dave Hughes is the founder of Retire Fabulously.

More from U.S. News

12 Reasons You’ll Love Being Retired

8 Things That Matter More Than Money for a Happy Retirement

12 Steps to a Longer, Healthier Retirement

7 Ways to Prevent Loneliness After You Retire 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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote