Josh Hoskin Smart Money jhoskin@goldridge.co.nz

I can sometimes be amazed at how many of my newly retired clients just can't spend that money they have saved after all of these years.

I am not advocating a mass spend-up once you retire but if you have worked that hard, why not enjoy it while you are still alive?

The real issue that people have, of course, is guilt. They have worked and saved their entire life to the mantra that saving, not spending, is a good thing. Once they get to retirement, they just can't change that attitude around, and who can blame them? After all, it has served them well over many years.

Maybe this thought will help them: the odds are that those of us lucky enough to reach retirement age will in the first 10 years post-retirement be healthy enough to do things like world trips, but after that time it will become more and more difficult. People, do it now if that's what you want to do. Don't worry about the kids – they can look after themselves. It's all about you. With your investments, develop strategies that maximise income and security if that is what you desire and use a financial adviser that you can trust to do the worrying for you.

If it is true that the older you get, the more aware you are of your mortality, then go out and enjoy it before it is too late.