There’s more to retirement than simply figuring out your finances; you also need to figure out what you’ll do with all the extra time on your hands. I can’t wait to have more time to spend with my grandkids, more time for travel, and more time for reading. And I can’t wait to give back.

Since I was raised in a household of five children on a small income, I’ve known my share of charitable organizations. During childhood, we benefitted from the kindness and generosity of others, and as finances improved and I began to make my own way in the world, it has been important to me to pay that kindness forward. That’s why I’m so excited for a chance to give back this week at Afena Federal Credit Union’s Monster Mini-Golf for Riley event. When you can have fun with your family, pig out on baked goods and Cajun cooking, and sling water balloons all in the name of a good cause, it’s an opportunity too great to pass up.

Ready to shoot a hole in one? I’ve come up with three tips to keep in mind if you’d like to join us at the Monster Mini-Golf event this Thursday, tips that might help you win at putt-putt, but will definitely help you win at retirement.

1. Focus on the putt. No matter how many trains, water fountains, or bowling pins a course throws at you, when it comes to putt-putt, it’s all about the…putt. Set your path, line up your club, and take your shot. The same can be said of retirement. We all know that life is going to throw all kinds of obstacles in our path, that’s part of what makes it interesting. You need to be prepared to handle those unexpected repair bills, medical costs, or whatever else is coming your way. But you also have to keep that goal of retirement firmly at or near the top of your priority list and aim for it every day.
2. Get into the right position. For putt-putt, the top of your club needs to be right at belt level. Lean forward slightly. Hit the ball with the middle of the putter. It takes a little thought to position yourself for success, but you’ll be rewarded with better shots. You also need to position yourself for a successful retirement, which can mean taking full advantage of your employer’s retirement benefits, setting up automatic transfers to a retirement account, and staying in the know on your progress towards your retirement savings goals. A little planning can go a long way towards those golden years.
3. Watch your speed. Here’s where I tend to falter on the putt-putt course…I’ll knock that golf ball right off our green and onto the next. It’s a good idea to take a few practice putts and figure out just how much momentum you need to reach the hole. With retirement, how quickly you need to accumulate savings and how aggressively you choose to invest depends partly on how long you have until retirement. You need to know when you want to retire in order to know much you’ll need to save out of each paycheck.

I can’t say that I’ll follow all of these tips on the miniature golf course this Thursday; the grandkids can be distracting, and I’ve been known to take one or two mulligans anyways. But when it comes to planning for retirement, I’ll stick to these tips like glue…mulligans are much harder to come by when it comes to retirement.