Yesterday, 05:33 PM, updated 13h ago
(Tokyo, 2nd) Retirees should keep two things in mind: do not travel abroad too frequently, and do not overspend on grandchildren. Otherwise, just as the “second spring” of life is about to begin, half of the retirement savings could already be gone!
A retired couple in their sixties, with 38 million yen (about RM1 million) in savings and a monthly pension of 260,000 yen (about RM6,900), not only travelled abroad every year after retirement, but also took a domestic trip once a month—living out their “ideal retirement life.” On top of that, they were always generously spending on their grandchildren. Unexpectedly, within just three years, their savings dropped by 15 million yen (about RM400,000), leaving them full of regret. To avoid difficulties in later years, they reduced their travel to once every three months and instead began picnicking with their grandchildren at nearby parks and visiting libraries—shifting from indulgent enjoyment to spiritual fulfilment.
According to Japanese media “THE GOLD ONLINE,” Sasaki Akira (68, pseudonym) and his wife Reiko (65, pseudonym), who live in Tokyo, said that they both previously worked for large corporations and now receive a public pension of 260,000 yen per month. Combined with their retirement payout and savings, they had accumulated 38 million yen for retirement.
Luxury spending became the norm
Sasaki Akira said, “Our children have all moved out, and the mortgage has been fully repaid. We felt that ‘now is the time to start the second spring of life.’” The couple’s motto had always been “enjoy life to the fullest even after retirement,” and they travelled domestically once a month. In addition, annual overseas trips became a tradition.
His wife Reiko added, “We have four grandchildren, and we buy them gifts for their birthdays, school entrance ceremonies, Christmas, and even whenever we bump into them.” One day, after maintaining this lifestyle for some time, Reiko checked the balance in their account and exclaimed, “Huh… did it really decrease this much?” The 38 million yen they had saved during their working years had unknowingly shrunk by about 15 million yen over the past few years.
Of course, some of the withdrawals were planned, but the speed at which their cash was disappearing far exceeded expectations. Sasaki Akira said, “A single trip can easily cost 100,000 to 150,000 yen (about RM2,700 to RM4,000), and they also spend quite a lot on their grandchildren every month. What was originally just occasional luxury has now become part of our everyday life.”
Savings declining too quickly
Because their savings were falling too quickly, and worried that medical expenses might increase in the future, the couple reduced their travel frequency to once every three months, and also cut down on dining out and buying gifts. Although they say they do not find saving to be a burden, they admit that they wish they had balanced their expenses better from the start. “When I was healthy, I was always in a rush to spend money. But retired life is much longer than I imagined.”
Since retirement often lasts 20 to 30 years, it is crucial to find a way to enjoy life while keeping finances sustainable. “Now, we no longer travel. Instead, we have picnics with our grandchildren in nearby parks and go to the library. I feel like I finally understand that even without spending much money, we can still achieve spiritual fulfilment.”
Couple pension monthly RM7k + RM1m, x cukup..
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