A 38-year-old woman who moved into a retirement home after splitting up with her ex shares what it’s like to live among pensioners when you’re in your thirties and reveals some surprising truths
These days, the cost of living is much worse for Gen Zers and Millennials than it was for their parents or grandparents, so it’s perhaps no surprise that some people are turning to unusual ways to cut costs.
Rising rents, soaring bills and food inflation are leaving many people with a lot less money in their pockets, but one woman has found a way to save money by moving into her local retirement village.
“I get mixed reactions every time I tell people I live in a retirement village,” Alice Amayu writes in Business Insider. “Some people just laugh it off because they don’t understand how I came to that decision.” It comes as an estate agent issu es five warnings signs to look out for when buying a house’
Alice continues: “Some ask, ‘Isn’t that depressing?’ while some family members initially thought I was way too young to live around seniors. I get it — it’s not typical to find a 30-something in a retirement village. But every Wednesday morning when I join my silver-haired neighbours for a game of bingo, I realize it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Before she took the plunge and moved into a retirement village, Alice had moved out of the home she shared with her ex-partner and had been living in an Airbnb, which was proving costly. Then one weekend, she mentioned she was househunting while visiting her aunt at her retirement village, who told her there was a home available just around the corner.
“I didn’t see how I could get into the retirement village when there was an age stipulation, but she assured me they had made exceptions before,” she continues. “She was confident, and told me the village’s homeowners’ association reviewed applications on a case-by-case basis.”
That was over a year ago and although she initially saw it as a stepping stone she says she’s so happy she’ll be staying put. And not only has Alice learnt how to be a better friend and neighbour, but she is also saving a fortune – because rent for her two-bedroom apartment is 500 Australian dollars, inclusive of the service fee.
That’s much less than the going rate for most apartments of the same size in Melbourne, where a two-bedroom typically goes for AU$2800 to AU$3200.
“My days often start the same way,” she added. “I’m woken up by the faint sound of my neighbour’s golden oldies. I drink coffee while reading the newspaper, enjoy a walk, and watch the occasional cat sunbathing.
“As members of the village strive to stay fit and have fun, I’ve joined chair yoga classes, cycled now and then, attended bingo at the clubhouse every Wednesday, and spent my afternoons freelancing.
“Evenings are also simple. I walk to the nearby grocery store or diner, bake, or sit on the porch and go down memory lane in unending conversations. I’ve been living in the retirement village for a little over a year. I’ve stopped considering it a stepping stone to a better place, and I now see it as my home.
“I’ve never felt out of place, and living around people who are not in a rush to live life or consumed by tech has been great for my mental health. It’s a kind of haven.
“My neighbours talk about their life experiences, the books they’ve read, the jobs they miss, and offer unsolicited yet meaningful advice. My new home has reshaped my life ambitions and the way I view aging.
“I’ve found immense peace here, and it’s my definition of a wonderful life. It’s comforting to know that the 70s and 80s aren’t so bad after all. As I’ve learned from those around me, you can still have agency, volunteer, make friends, and start new hobbies, no matter your age.”