Retirement isn’t a date – it’s a lifestyle you have to practice.
Most of us spend decades planning for retirement on paper — budgets, Social Security estimates, and investment calculators. But for me, the real shift isn’t just financial. It’s lifestyle, identity, rhythm, and the practical question: What does everyday life actually feel like when I no longer work 40–60 hours a week?
That’s where a retirement “test-drive” comes in. I don’t need to make drastic decisions yet. But I can start experimenting with the life I want to build — gently, intentionally, and with a sense of curiosity instead of pressure.
Below are the simple (and surprisingly revealing) ways I will be test-driving my own future.
Testing My Budget in Real Life
I’ve spent a lot of time working on spreadsheets and scenarios. I know what the numbers say, but living with the numbers is a bit different. In order to test my theories and see if this is possible, I will be conducting a few experiments. For me, the numbers are the foundation. If the numbers don’t work, the lifestyle won’t work.
• Try a 30-Day Retirement Budget Challenge
The first thing I will be doing is trying out the retirement budget.
Can I live on the budget for 30 days without feeling constrained?
What adjustments need to be made?
What is working well?
Are there any surprises?
The budget includes all expenses and possible income that I am currently forecasting. So this should be considered the maximum budget.
I think this exercise will tell me more about the realism of my future budget than any spreadsheet ever could.
• Try Living on One Income Source at a Time
My plan right now includes different potential income sources — from Social Security to bridge income to income from a 403b investment account. For a week or a month, I want to practice living on each of these to stress-test the numbers:
- My Social Security estimate
- My part-time or “bridge job” income
- An estimated slow-travel budget
It seems likely that I will learn quickly that it is the combination that is the key. Living solely on Social Security will most likely not be a viable option when I have goals outside of simple retirement. Even with everything put together, I feel like I will have to be flexible in my approaches and have backup plans to face sudden expenses or changes in plans.
• Simulate Downsizing Before Actually Doing It
I’ve already done this one a few times — moving to new cities in the U.S. and living in Belize for a period of time. I learned that there are few things that you miss, but some things are important. What those things are will be different for you than for me.
If you are following along and want to give it a try, you could try closing off a room in your house or apartment. Reducing your subscription stack may be something that is a trigger for you. You might also try simplifying meals and eating at home more or all of the time during the trial period. It’s amazing how quickly you notice what matters (and what you won’t miss).
These little experiments remind me that a retirement lifestyle isn’t built all at once. It’s built by paying attention to what actually matters.
Test Out the Slow-Travel Life
If slow travel or nomadic living is part of your plan (as it is for me), testing it early is essential. Luckily, my previous experiences with travel and living in a variety of places give me a head start.
• Maximize Time in One Place
One of the most effective ways to test slow travel is to stay put. Truly stay put.
For the last couple of years, I have been adding a week or so to my holiday break to take a warm-weather cruise. One thing I learned this year is to slow things down and not think I need to rush to book excursions in every port or go ashore and stay all day.
During COVID, I was fortunate to be able to spend a month in Florida. And when coming back from Belize and starting life in New Jersey, I spent a couple of months living in an extended-stay hotel with Bobo. So those things are already covered for my test.
Of course, I learned a great deal from my time in Belize. One day I will tell you more about that experience. There were definitely pros and cons.
• Practice Being “Location Flexible”
One thing I still need to do is take Bobo and spend some time at an Airbnb. I haven’t done that yet, so I think it would be a good idea to work, write, and record a short video from a temporary setup. This would let me get a feel for testing out new Wi-Fi networks, establishing routines and walking routes, finding grocery stores, and planning for safety and comfort.
These small tests will help me understand what everyday life on the road might actually feel like — not just the highlight reel.
Test Your Cruising Lifestyle
Another part of my slow-travel lifestyle may be a cruise-heavy retirement. I’ve been on around 20 cruises through the years — from 3 nights to more recent longer cruises up to 20 nights. I highly recommend test driving these options as well, because cruising isn’t for everyone.
• Try a Back-to-Back Cruise
My first foray into longer cruising was a back-to-back cruise that allowed me to stay on the same ship in the same cabin for two cruise segments. That, of course, is the optimal way to do this type of cruise. Not every back-to-back allows for the same cabin, but even with a move, it still gives you a realistic sense of shipboard life over 14+ nights.
Either way, I’m testing to find out what cruise length feels best for me.
Do I get stir-crazy after a week or two?
• Test Different Cabin Styles
Another variable to try when I am cruising is the various cabin types. While I’ve been working, I’ve mostly stuck with balcony cabins. That’s fine with my current solid income, but I need to try out the oceanview and an inside cabin for longer cruises to see how I feel. This will impact my ability to cruise in retirement, as there are both financial and comfort-level considerations when choosing a cabin.
• Test “Working Lightly” While Cruising
Testing out the ability to work a bit while on a cruise helps me understand what I’ll need to consider if I plan to cruise and work in the future. I don’t expect to work full days, but I do want to know whether I can reliably write, schedule posts, or record short videos if needed.
On my last cruise, I was able to work minimally. I was more interested in reading and just relaxing.
I’ll test this out two or three more times before retiring so I can see if there are different strategies I can use to increase productivity when I need to complete a small project like a blog post, video, or planning.
The more I test now, the more confident I’ll be about how (and how often) cruising fits into the rhythm of retirement.
Test Your Identity + Daily Rhythm
As I get closer to retirement, I’m realizing the internal shifts might be the hardest to test — and the most important. Shifting from a strong career identity to a new retired identity may be a challenge for me. I’ve been all in for the career for many years, so trying out a different way to be may test my mental and emotional wellbeing.
• Try a “Retirement Tuesday”
One way I think I will experiment is to identify one day each weekend to serve as “retirement Tuesday.” First, I have to imagine what a retirement day might look like, then actually live that way on Saturday or Sunday.
Most likely, that will mean moving at my own pace — walking with Bobo, cooking, and writing. I’m thinking this will feel like luxury, and I will be surprised at how fast the days actually go by.
• Practice Stepping Back at Work
Another, more controversial test may be to take small steps to step back at work. This is something that I feel is necessary for the health of the organization. It isn’t that I will be working any less or not as hard, but it will be time to start delegating and letting others live in the spotlight.
It means not feeling like I have to answer email at all hours or agreeing to assignments that are actually too much when taken in conjunction with things already on my plate. It is time to protect my energy while also helping set the stage for the organization to transition to the next place.
One thing I have to remember is that the organization will go on whether I’m there or not. Whoever takes over for me will do some things better with new ideas and energy and some things not so good. Regardless, it goes on.
Letting go of that truth now — while I’m still employed — feels like part of the emotional test-drive.
Test Your Home + Logistics
I’ve really had to think about what I could and should test related to my home life and logistics. On the surface, I know I will be downsizing to almost nothing, but I haven’t really thought about what that would look like practically.
These tests will provide an opportunity to get a better understanding of what I need to consider and how things will flow in the slow-travel world. Better to test now than be surprised later!
• Do Decluttering Sprints
Admittedly, this is something I need to do regardless of the retirement plan. For a month, I’ll declutter one room every weekend. It will take longer than a month overall, but this will be an excellent start — low-pressure, high-impact — and a meaningful way to prepare for future maintenance and a home sale or move.
• Test Cheaper, Simpler Living at Home
Another activity that will be beneficial right now is testing out simpler cooking: fresh products, less takeout, fewer processed foods. Processed foods are part of my everyday life, so having fewer of them might only help me feel better.
I’m toying with practicing more whole-food cooking one day a week. As a solo, it may be easier to prep everything at once and store meals for the week. For this test, I’ll be looking at my budget to see what the spending differences are and checking in with myself — do I feel better overall? I’m betting on yes, but we’ll see.
I’m hoping this helps me build the rhythm I’ll need when I’m working with a real retirement budget.
• Test Your Dog Care Strategy
My dog Bobo is a very lucky dog and he knows it! He was a street puppy in Belize City when I found him and brought him back to the USA with me. He has been going to doggie daycare while I work and is very used to the folks he is with every weekday. When I have traveled, he stays at the same place for boarding. This brings me a lot of peace of mind as I know they care for him and he loves them.
As I have started extending my travel, I have also been testing his reactions and I have to say, so far so good. The most recent trip was 20 days and I was really worried that he would withdraw, but he is a trooper. He was the same pup I left almost three weeks prior.
Funny thing is, when I retire, he will retire too. I’m not sure which of us will be most affected.
Making sure Bobo is comfortable and secure is as much a part of this retirement test-drive as the budget or the travel plan.
Conclusion
So far with the tests and experiments, I have found that I am on the right track. Keeping things in perspective is important. Understanding what my needs are to be happy and balanced will be a work in progress, but I feel like I am on the way.
As we continue on this journey, give it a try if you feel like it. You could decide on one of the areas discussed above — budgeting, slow travel, routines, or home life — and give it a try for a week.
See how you feel. What made you feel good? What did you learn?
Keep going! Retirement isn’t a finish line. It is a design process.
And the best part? You can start living pieces of it long before you ever hand in a resignation letter.
Solo Travel by Design 
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