Can you retire on 200k? 4 ways to make a great plan

Can you retire on 200k and live a comfortable life?

Yes, you could, but there are a few further questions you might want to ponder before pulling the trigger on retirement with those figures.

How much money is enough is a question on most people’s minds, especially as you move into and past middle age.

Although none of us knows when it’s all going to be over, when we reach our 40’s and 50’s retirement becomes a real possibility and potentially a looming goal.

This is mainly due to the state retirement age and when you can receive your state pension.

Maybe you have 200k in your pensions or Isa’s or other savings and wonder if this is enough.

Read on to consider some of these things you might need to think about if you have 200k available

What can 200k do for you

Whether you can you retire on 200k all depends on what you want that 200k to do for you.

A few key questions to ponder

• What are you expecting to do in your retirement?
• How much are you expecting it to cost?
• How long do you think you need the money to last?
• Will there be any other sources of income?
• What are your options if things go wrong?

Being crystal clear on what you want 200k to do for you will help with many of your planning assumptions.

You could use the 4% rule as a planning assumption and guesstimate that if that £200k was invested in the great companies of the world, it might return something like 8k a year for about 30 years.

But that is an assumption with quite a few caveats.

We have no idea that the markets will return that.

More importantly, whether you will be able to cope with the ups and downs without panicking and selling everything at a loss on the way.

This is where knowing your numbers is going to help.

What are your basic food, water, shelter and medical needs? What you need to survive.

Up from this, what would you need to make life comfortable?

And finally, what sort of lifestyle would be luxury and what would that cost?

How much will 200k cover these three levels, and for how long?

This WHICH report helps identify what those levels might be in the UK. 

If there is a shortfall, then you might need to plan to

• Earn more
• Work for longer
• Lower your lifestyle

Which one of these would you prefer?

Plan for a long life

Unless you know better, the chances are that you are probably going to live a long life.

If that is the case, you need to consider that the 200k you have will need to last longer into your old age.

And as you get older, it may be that you are doing less and so needing less money but that your care needs go up needing more money.

What you can be sure of, though, is that inflation will play a constant drain on your money. The price of things and, more importantly, the cost of items you can’t do without food, water, shelter, medicines are likely to keep going up and up.

So, planning on a long life with the ongoing effect of inflation on your cost of living should help you understand or appreciate the ongoing challenge of funding your ideal life in retirement or off £200k.

One way to plan for inflation is to use the rule of 72.

The rule of 72 can be used to estimate when your money will double – this is the fun part of figuring out how your money will grow.

However!

The rule of 72 is also a way to determine how long it will take for your money to half in value!!

Take 72 and divide it by inflation.

So, let’s say 3% inflation; it is a fairly average rate. Sometimes it’s been higher and sometimes lower.

72/3 = 24 years.

So, your 200k will half in value or purchasing power in 24 years. That doesn’t sound like fun, does it?

So, imagine you will live for another 24 years at least, then you might find that everything has doubled in price over that period.

That’s why your 200k needs to match or ideally beat inflation to provide you with a rising income.

The short answer is that cash will not do this.

Assets like the below might help provide you with the growth and or income you need over the long term as long as you won them or a lump sum if you sell them.

Physical assets like

• Shares
• Property 
• Things to rent out
• Businesses
• Your skills and experiences

Digital assets like

• eBooks
• Courses
• Blogs
• Online shops with or without real stuff.

How many of these assets do you currently own or are working towards owning?

Plan for a full life

Don’t cheat yourself out of what you really want, what you really really want?

Many of us are banking on working for 40 or so years of our lives and then really doing what we want to do when we retire.

Saving up what you have always dreamed of for our old age.

Hmmm, a potentially risky plan if old age isn’t quite what you expected.

Why not make sure that your life and finances can create the things you have always wanted now!

Why not plan to do the things that would really make your life amazing now!

If you were looking back on your life, what do you think would have made it a great life?

What goals do you think you would have achieved?

If you can think of any, what might your best guesses of a great life be?

What might you have liked to achieve in the past or achieve in the future?

Here are a few areas where you might like to think about what would make a great life looking backwards or looking forwards

1. Health and fitness (complete a marathon, keep fit and active, keep a good weight)
2. Recreation and hobbies (learn how to paint, craft, sew, paddleboard, open water swimming)
3. Family and Friends (plan that summer reunion, visit that distant relative or friend)
4. Romance and Relationships (find your soul mate, start or grow a family, find new friends after 40!!)
5. Finance and net worth (get out of debt, grow a nest egg, save for big occasions, make work optional)
6. Career and business (get that promotion, start that side hustle, work part-time or volunteer)
7. Personal development (order a meal in French, learn how to write a book, create websites, cook great food)
8. Spiritual goals (create more quiet time, reflection or reading days/weeks)

If you had a plan for all these, how would that feel?

Any better than just bumbling along, hoping that one day it might happen?

Planning to achieve what you want is half the battle in attaining them and help indicate if you can retire on 200k and still achieve them.  

It all starts with a plan; who knows where it will take you.

Here are a few ways to plan for a great life.

How to plan finances for life. 4 great ways to make a simple plan.

Life planning examples. 3 ways to create enormous positive change in your life

Best retirement plans UK. 4 ways to plan for a great retirement.

Set your GAME Plan

By the way, this is exactly what we do at Financially Happy.  

We help people design their own GAME Plan to achieve their great life now.

Picture and decide on Goals in every area of their life.

Identify the Actions needed to achieve those goals, including anticipating what will likely be the barriers in the way, looking at internal and external roadblocks.

Understand the Means they currently have or need to create to reach their goals and ideal lifestyle. Figuring out how you can retire on 200k or another amount and achieve what’s important to you.

Finally, starting the Execution of the plan. Reviewing and adjusting as you go, learn and adapt to the realities of life.

If this sounds like something you would like to explore, achieving more of what’s important to you, why not set up a call here.

FAQ: Can you retire on 200k?

Summary: Can you retire on 200k

You could retire on 200k, which might give you an income of 8k.

Would that be enough for you to do all the things you want to do?

Figuring out what that 200k might allow or not allow you to do will help you understand if this is enough.

Planning for a long life, unless you know better, will also help understand is this enough to last for potentially 30+ years.

The longer the money needs to last, the more you might need to think about managing it and or create more to ride out any rough spots.

Plan for the life you want, not just the one you think you can afford. It’s a lot more fun doing this and will spur you to achieve more exciting things.

Set your GAME Plan

Figure out your GOALS, take Action, understand your current and needed Means and Execute and review the plan as you go.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on can you retire on 200k

Thanks for dropping by.

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You’re already taking steps towards a healthier financial future. But maybe you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. Maybe the of budgeting, saving, and investing still makes you break out in a cold sweat. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and help is available.

At Financially Happy Money Coaching, I understand money isn’t just about numbers. It’s about emotions, behaviours, and life choices. That’s why we’re here to help you take the stress out of money and build wealth that aligns with your values and lifestyle.

Whether you’re just starting out on your financial journey or you’re looking to take your finances to the next level, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. I’ll help you understand your financial behaviours, set realistic goals, and create a personalized plan to achieve those goals.

So, why wait? Start your journey towards financial happiness today. Remember, the best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now.

Click here to schedule your consultation and let’s make your money work for you, not vice versa. 💪💰

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Remember, financial freedom isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. And every journey is easier when you have a guide. So, let’s embark on this journey together and create a financially happy future. 🚀💸

📚 Financial Freedom Resources

1. The Ultimate Guide To Building Your Savings to $100,000! 📘 is a transformative book that equips readers with principles, strategies, and the mindset 🧠 needed to reach a $100,000 savings goal 💰. It’s a journey towards financial freedom 🚀, challenging beliefs 🤔, embracing new habits 🔄, and overcoming obstacles 💪.
2. How to Manage Your Finances: Your Guide to Financial Freedom 📘 is a comprehensive resource packed with practical advice on budgeting 💰, investing 📈, reducing debt 💳, and building wealth 💎. It’s an essential guide for anyone, novice or experienced, aiming to take control of their financial future and achieve financial independence 🚀.

Remember, self-study is a powerful tool for life and financial transformation. Happy reading! 🎉

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You’re already taking steps towards a healthier financial future. But maybe you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. Maybe the of budgeting, saving, and investing still makes you break out in a cold sweat. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and help is available.

At Financially Happy Money Coaching, I understand money isn’t just about numbers. It’s about emotions, behaviours, and life choices. That’s why we’re here to help you take the stress out of money and build wealth that aligns with your values and lifestyle.

Whether you’re just starting out on your financial journey or you’re looking to take your finances to the next level, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. I’ll help you understand your financial behaviours, set realistic goals, and create a personalized plan to achieve those goals.

So, why wait? Start your journey towards financial happiness today. Remember, the best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now.

Click here to schedule your consultation and let’s make your money work for you, not vice versa. 💪💰

---

Remember, financial freedom isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. And every journey is easier when you have a guide. So, let’s embark on this journey together and create a financially happy future. 🚀💸

📚 Financial Freedom Resources

1. The Ultimate Guide To Building Your Savings to $100,000! 📘 is a transformative book that equips readers with principles, strategies, and the mindset 🧠 needed to reach a $100,000 savings goal 💰. It’s a journey towards financial freedom 🚀, challenging beliefs 🤔, embracing new habits 🔄, and overcoming obstacles 💪.
2. How to Manage Your Finances: Your Guide to Financial Freedom 📘 is a comprehensive resource packed with practical advice on budgeting 💰, investing 📈, reducing debt 💳, and building wealth 💎. It’s an essential guide for anyone, novice or experienced, aiming to take control of their financial future and achieve financial independence 🚀.

Remember, self-study is a powerful tool for life and financial transformation. Happy reading! 🎉