For anyone facing retirement, or already in their retirement years, Too Young To Retire offers a shot in the arm of inspiration, advice and exciting ideas for those who must keep on working beyond the age of 65, not just because they have to, but because they want to. The authors, whom co-founded an online community of retirement alternatives (www.2young2retire.com), offer up over 100 suggestions, exercises, tips, ideas and alternatives to sitting around in your later years doing nothing and feeling like you are invisible. These ideas run the gamut from taking up a new hobby and making money from it, to becoming politically active, to learning a new trade or skill, to starting a business. With their brand of wit and optimism, the Stone’s make their case for a “third life” filled with fulfillment, purpose and contribution.
Too Young To Retire is a breezy read that introduces alternatives to retirement and then provides resources for further research. If you see an idea that catches your fancy, the authors are ready with details on where and how you can learn more in their resource section. They also cover topics such as volunteering, financial planning and maturity, health and wellness issues and the ups and downs of owning your own business.
My favorite section is “101 Opportunities for the Open-Minded,” which lists plenty of fun and diverse ways people can make money doing something they enjoy (and hey, you don’t even have to be retired to try some of these gems out!). My only complaint is that these ideas are given just a short paragraph, when I would have liked a little more detail as to how to go about getting more involved. In fact, so much of this book felt as if it were given too little space and not enough development, but I imagine the authors did not intend to write a 500-page comprehensive guide to life after retirement!
Instead, I envision this potent little book as a “guide to the possible” that will inspire and provoke, and will definitely give someone facing retirement a fresh perspective on what they can do with the rest of their life. The information is presented with warmth and encouragement, and the ideas just might jumpstart a whole new generation of elder entrepreneurs!