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One surprise that might hit you in your first few years of retirement — even after saying goodbye to work expenses and retirement account contributions, you may end up spending more than when you had a job.
As you approach retirement, you may hear financial planners cite three retirement phases that dictate spending habits: Go-Go, Slow-Go and No-Go. In the Go-Go years, typically 65 to 75, healthy young retirees spend big on scratching life-long dreams off their bucket list — and tend to make big purchases that could lead to regrets.
J.P. Morgan’s Retirement by the Numbers report found that average retiree spending gradually declines by over 30% between the ages of 60 and 85, as they enter and exit the Go-Go and Slow-Go years (1).
According to AARP, some of the top spending regrets retirees are likely to have include expensive trips, upsizing to their dream house, purchasing fancy cars, boats or RVs and some impulse online shopping.
While it’s important to manage your retirement savings well, you shouldn’t be afraid to spend money on the retirement of your dreams if you plan accordingly. Here are three ways to prepare your finances for retirement while ensuring you can still enjoy the newfound freedom it brings.
The U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the annual inflation rate increased by 2.7% in November 2025 (2). With the economy still on shaky ground, your 401(k) or IRA — and your retirement itself — could be at risk.
A Gold IRA can offer a great way to protect and grow your nest egg, so you have the extra cash available for a dream purchase in those early retirement years. Unlike the U.S. dollar, which has lost 87% of its purchasing power since 1971, gold’s value has increased over the last few years.
In fact, investors have been flocking to safe-haven assets like gold over the past year to protect their portfolios amid a volatile economic backdrop. Gold prices surged by nearly 70% over this period, outpacing the S&P 500 index’s 17.6% return (3).
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