Hi Reader

I've got to say that I'm in a pretty decent mood (as long as I avoid anything to do with politics!) The sun is very much out, Wimbledon is in full swing, the England vs India test match cricket is brilliant (not expecting my American friends to understand), my birthday is in a few weeks, and... MY BOOK HAS FINALLY BEEN PUBLISHED!

For those on the waitlist, you would have got an email yesterday with a special link to order, which gets you my promised things to say thank you.

For anyone else who wants to order the book, read on, and you will see a link to visit The Great British Book Shop. If you want to hang on until it's listed on Amazon, then I think it will be live in the next few days.

Wherever you are in the world, grab your favourite morning beverage and 'tuck in' to another jam-packed edition of The Retirement Fix...

FEATURED ARTICLE

You Don’t Need More Money. You Need More Imagination.

Let’s be honest.

Most retirees I meet don’t have a money problem. They have a permission problem. A creativity problem. A “What the hell do I do now?” problem.

They’ve got more than enough in the pot… But when it comes to spending it on anything beyond boiler servicing or new windows?

Their imagination flatlines.

Because spreadsheets can’t dream for you.

You’ve Done the Hard Bit. So Why Does It Still Feel… Meh?

You worked hard, you saved smart, you bought the pensions, filled the ISAs, and even sat through that seminar about multi-asset drawdown solutions (God help you).

And now… you’re free.

So why are you still acting like you need to ask your old boss for annual leave before booking a long weekend in Devon?

Retirement should feel like that first sip of wine on a Friday night. But for many, it feels more like walking into IKEA with no list and leaving three hours later with existential dread.

The Problem Isn’t Money. It’s an Underfunded Vision.

Here’s the truth:

Most retirement plans have more zeros than ideas.

People don’t freeze because they can’t afford to spend, they freeze because they can’t picture a life that feels worth spending on.

It’s not the money that’s lacking.

It’s the imagination.

We spent 40 years optimising portfolios, but about 4 minutes thinking about what we want our life to feel like when work stops.

“But What If I Regret It?”

Ah yes, the classic. The enemy of every joyful purchase.

“What if I spend it now and regret it later?” “What if I need it for care home fees?” “What if the markets crash, the roof caves in, the dog needs a hip replacement, and all three happen on the same Tuesday?”

Look, I get it, caution has its place.

But if your idea of a retirement well-lived is dying with a full pension and unused air miles, we need to talk.

You don’t need a bigger buffer... you need bigger ideas.

Try This Instead

Take a chunk of money, £10k, £25k, £100k whatever makes your palms just slightly sweaty.

Now ask: “How can I spend this in a way that creates joy, meaning, and memories I’ll still be talking about five years from now?”

Not a new hedge, not a marginally better telly, not a cruise you forget as soon as the ice sculpture melts.

Something with soul. Something worth a story.

This is what author Bill Perkins calls Memory Dividends.

And what I call living your bloody life.

The Truth Bomb

If you’ve done the saving… If you’ve done the planning… And if you’re still living like your best life is something you’ll get around to once the stars align…

You’re not “being sensible.” You’re stuck.

Most people don’t need more spreadsheets, they need a nudge, a reframe, a bold question like:

“What would Future You thank you for doing… while you still could?”

Ready to Fire Up the Imagination?

If this hit a nerve, in a good way, I’ve got two suggestions:

Pick one “one-day” idea and make it this year's idea.
Let’s have a chat about what you want this money to do for your life.

You already bought the ticket. Let’s make sure you’re going on the ride.

RETIREMENT RESOURCE

The Retirement You Didn't See Coming

My book is officially published!!

It's been a stressful few weeks leading up to this moment, but I am so thrilled to announce that my book is now available to buy. It's currently available via The Great British Book Shop and will be listed on Amazon over the coming days.

Buy The Book

PODCAST

Lessons & Insights From a Real Retirement Journey

This week, I'm delving into the podcast vault and going back to one of my most popular episodes. It's with my wonderful client Julian as he shares his retirement story. From the moment he started to think about it, how he prepared for it and what the first 6 months of retirement were like. It's a conversation that has generated the most feedback and one not to be missed