The Humans vs Retirement Podcast S6 Ep 91 - The Skill No One Taught You - Spending Money!
You’ve worked hard. Saved smart. Invested wisely. You’ve built a life where money is no longer the problem. But here’s the awkward truth: spending it freely, without guilt, hesitation, or second-guessing, is the part no one prepared you for.
In this episode, I unpack why so many retirees struggle to permit themselves to spend, where that scarcity mindset comes from, and how to start using money to create joy, connection, and memory dividends. Saving was your superpower. Spending is your next skill.
What You’ll Learn-
Why spending in retirement isn’t a maths problem, it’s a psychological one
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The “permission gap” and why most retirees hesitate to enjoy what they’ve saved
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How money guilt shows up (and why you’re not alone in feeling it)
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The hidden costs of under-spending... memories, experiences, and lost joy
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What “good spending” really looks like: values, memory dividends, and well-being
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Practical tools, from guardrails to pre-spending permission slips, to help you spend with confidence
👉 Plan one guilt-free spend, and do it.
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Not research it.
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Not think about it.
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Not ask five friends if it’s sensible.
Just spend. Choose something that creates a memory, feels indulgent, and is true to you. Then, when that little voice says, “Should I really?” — answer, “Yes. Future Me will thank me.”
Resources & Mentions-
Schroders UK Retirement Study (2022): On retirees struggling to spend freely
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Bill Perkins, Die With Zero — The principle of converting money into meaningful life experiences
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Retirement planning tools like Guardrails, Bucket Planning, and Spending Statements
Coming up in Episode 6: Retirement Income Isn’t About Products — It’s About Permission We’ll explore why true confidence to spend comes from psychology, not portfolio returns, and how your retirement income strategy should feel like freedom, not fear.