The Single Woman's Guide to Retirement

by Jan Cullinane

If you're one of the 25 million single women over 45 living in the United States today, this book is your new best friend. Walking you through the challenges of retired or pre-retired life, it covers the issues that matter to you. Packed with specific details, The Single Woman's Guide to Retirement includes real-life stories from women just like you to illustrate your options and give you fresh new ideas about how to make the most of your retirement years.

Genres: Finance, Nonfiction, Self Help

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Author, speaker, consultant.

Newest book: The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life (3rd edtion), Wiley, 2022

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some helpful areas, but basically learned I should have had a job with a six figure salary and started saving for retirement when I was 12. Oh well, like my Grandpa always said, "I should've been born rich instead of so darn good lookin'!!!!"

[ANNE · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you define “single” as being divorced, widowed, otherwise broken and terrified of retirement and have trouble balancing your checkbook, then this is the book for you.

I was horrified to find that this book was written for boomers and that boomers were referred to throughout the book and boomer statistics were referred to. Also boomer style reference material, like addresses and phone numbers were listed, although there were also lists and lists and lists of online things you could look up in your free time.

Heavy on reference material and light on substantial advice, this book has a few morsels but you have to dig deep to get them in the rest is just a reference. For instance, we even cover a nutritional chapter that has many many pages long that tells us such sage rare advice as “eat more fiber” and “drink more water”. Also there’s an entire chapter on dating in retirement which kind of is the opposite of thing of single.

If you haven’t picked up a magazine, listened to the news or been aware of anything that’s going around on you in the last two decades, this is the retirement book for you.

[Vicki L. Culley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource to start your research. I recommend the Kindle version because it's handy to just click on the links. I am just now exploring my options, and I might have to retire in a less expensive state. That's what I appreciate about the numerous sources. I will have to find more material about a rural lifestyle as a single because that is my dream. I am not a joiner, so all the senior activities and busy lifestyle and communal living do not appeal to me. If you are an introvert as I am, more research is needed into having a support network while having your personal space. And if you are not a high wage earner, some options are limited. This will be my "go to" book to start my journey, and I have a lot more thinking and research to do. A very helpful book!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book geared mainly to the boomer generation. However as a long-retired single woman I thought there might be some nuggets of information I could use and, as it turned out, correctly so.

Particularly of interest to me were the chapters relating to volunteering, hobbies and finance. I would recommend this book not only to other single women who are retired or about to retire but to married women as well. Much of the information might be applicable to couples in their search for a new place to live, etc.

[Jayne Korolkoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about retirement. Has a lot of great information besides the normal financial stuff (which it does a good job with too). Gets you thinking about options for where to live and what to do with your time. There are a lot of great references to websites and such that are really helpful, as well as some great checklists.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a good first book to read on retirement. It's not the only book you'll need but it does cover a lot of areas including things like - working after retirement, deciding where to retire, etc.

[gail ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book, it has so much info
in it.
I was really surprised at the amount of
different subjects Jan covered in this book.
I learned alot about getting social security
benefits that i did not know before i read
her book.I highly recommend this book to
everyone.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed full of ideas and resources for all areas of life. I would recommend it for single women over 45 since many of the topics require planning well in advance of retirement age.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Content included nothing new to me. Either the book is dated or I am well informed. :)

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good advice for single women over 45. Great resources and bibliography.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

10h 40m

For me, this book is the Holy Grail even though it was published more than ten years ago.

Chapter 1: Retirement and Single Woman
Chapter 2: Deciding What to Do with 168 Hours a Week
Chapter 3: Working in Retirement: An Oxymoron?
Chapter 4: Fitness in Body, Mind, and Spirit
Chapter 5: Where is Your Heart? Exploring Options for Living
Chapter 6: A Place to Call Home: What Are Your Choices?
Chapter 7: Divorce, Death, Dating, Dependency, and Deepening Connections
Chapter 8: Dollars and Sense


https://advertise.aarp.org/digital-pubs

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[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an informative book, surprisingly fun to read. It offers an overview of many topics and lists plenty of websites and sources for deeper investigation. When I reached the relocation chapter, with all its discussion of retirement communities, at first I thought oh well, this is a book for wealthy people. But then I reached the part on retiring abroad--sometimes to extend your savings--and found myself intrigued. Really glad she's developed a book for single women approaching retirement.

[Chere Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the way this book was designed; the 8 chapters covered the gamut from money to spiritual considerations to dating. Each chapter ends with a list of additional resources. Highly recommend this book.

[Lu Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tips for retiring solo

Many women don't plan on retiring alone, This book helped me see that it is possible. The ideas and information is very helpful to plan and guide for the future. I would have given it 5 stars, but I was pretty much on the right track at the beginning.

[Patia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skimmed this in a few hours, skipping chapters not relevant to me. It’s from 2012 and I bought it used for a buck. It’s definitely geared toward Boomers, but as a Gen Xer who’s just started thinking about retirement, I learned a few helpful things.

[Jaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reference suggestions.
Options for living chapter is interesting .
Online sites recommended for exploration.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written for the boomer generation shortly after the 2008 financial crisis and contains outdated information.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

financially and emotionally preparing to die alone 😌

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drinking two glasses of water before a meal really does help people to loose weight.

Twenty minutes of aerobic exercise a day can ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Weight bearing exercise builds bone which decreases the risk of osteoporosis. Exercise improves our range of motion, endurance and flexibility and decreases the incidence of falls. It lowers body fat which is linked to disease. It is an effective treatment for moderate to mild depression. It improves sleep, improves breathing and increases lung capacity and lean body mass which in turn increases calorie burn.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was preparing for retirement when I ran across a recommendation for this title. I ordered it and found tons of useful information as I counted down the days. Not every situation described pertained to me, but there was enough information to make it well worth the price. I am now happily retired with sufficient income to live a comfortable life, partly due to the good advice found here.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I skimmed through the first half of the book dedicated to exploring options for living in retirement, I ended up getting something out of that section (cohousing mostly) as well as the more practical pages about finances. Much to think about and plan for! Especially useful were government and social websites. Are we there yet?

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Actually written by my sister! I'm a couple years from retirement and this book is a huge help to me. I am actually married but most of the book applies to what I need to know and how I should be prepared. So proud of you Jan!

[Elizabeth Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some good ideas about retirement, that is, if you're well off. The legal and medical advice is not that well informed, however -she should stick to the things she is qualified to write about.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is full of good info and resources for singles regardless of how you got that way!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provided good key points. I hope to retire early.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy to read reference for women getting ready to retire. I thought the information was helpful. It is a book I will look at from time to time as questions arise.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Content included nothing new to me. Either the book is dated or I am well informed. :)