A note from Karen: our friends Barb and Bill Bredemeier share a deep commitment not only to their faith, but to serving others. Although they have been retired for many years, they continue to make a difference in others’ lives. I asked them for their advice to those ready to embark on retirement and here’s what they said.

Guest Post by Bill Bredemeier

Barb and I are “first generation” Christ followers (we both grew up in loving but secular homes) and we’ve been happily married for over 50 years. Our love for Christ means we share a commitment to service that has significantly informed how we’ve approached our retirement years. When I retired from a successful business career, Barb and I embarked on a journey of mentoring and ministry that has enriched our lives immeasurably and allowed us to be “extravagantly generous”—with our words, actions and resources.

At our current church, I serve as the church treasurer. Barb and I also partner together in ministry as we serve in the roles of financial budget counselors. This has given us insight into how financial management plays into one’s retirement years.   

Below, we humbly offer our observations and suggestions to people in the retirement phase of their lives.

Advice to Retired Seniors

1. Find something larger than yourself to serve

In the midst of selling our two businesses in and around 2004, I read a pivotal book called “Halftime” by Bob Buford.  The tag line of the book was “Moving from Success to Significance.” I loved the concept that once a person has experienced some success in their business career, they have an opportunity to achieve significance within their community as well.  I wanted that for me!

As Bob Buford himself wrote: “We can retire from our jobs, but we can never retire from our calling” and “As long as you’re able to do something meaningful, why would you want to go into some kind of holding pattern?”

Find some serving opportunity that meets your own gifting and passion and serve there as best you can.  This may take some trial and effort but keep searching until you find a cause or organization that needs your unique gifting and talents.

Someone once said, “I would rather burn out than rust out!”  Keep serving in your senior years.

2. Living by a personal financial budget is freeing, not restrictive

Barb and I have met with over 330 folks of all ages over the years to help them get set up on a working, personal financial budget, using an Excel spreadsheet as an “automated envelope system.” We have seen tons of debt paid off, marriages saved, folks released to the mission field, and the achievement of personal financial goals, including the ability to be “extravagantly generous.”

It is never too late to get your own financial budget started and doing so diligently will absolutely improve your overall life. Financial budgets are for old and young, single and married, wealthy or poor, all walks of life – everyone can benefit from being on a budget.

3. Being “extravagantly generous” is way more fun than spending money on yourself

There is nothing inherently wrong with taking a nice vacation or spending reasonable money on “stuff,” but if that is your main focus, you will soon become self-centered and lack contentment.  However, if you respond to opportunities God plants in your path to help others with generosity, you will be blessed in ways you might not even imagine (financially and in other ways.)  Barb and I believe that generosity starts with a tithe (the first tenth of our income) and then becomes larger as time and resources become available.  Giving like that is joyful and life-giving.  See Malachi 3:8-12.

We also believe that extravagant generosity is made much more attainable when one uses a written financial budget (see # 2 above.)

Stretch yourselves by using your time, talents, and treasures to serve and bless your own community.

For more information on Barb and Bill Bredemeier’s ministry, watch their interview on Joy FM, The Joy of Giving Back in Retirement.