50 Things Worth Spending Money On After 60
After 60, your relationship with money can start to change.
For decades, the focus may have been saving, paying the mortgage, raising a family and putting money aside for later.
Eventually, later arrives.
That does not mean spending recklessly or ignoring your financial future. It means recognising that money is also a tool for making life more comfortable, interesting and enjoyable.
Sometimes the best purchase is something practical that makes everyday life easier.
Sometimes it is something that helps you stay active.
And sometimes it is not a physical thing at all.
It might be a holiday you have talked about for ten years, dinner with people you rarely see or finally trying the hobby you always said you would get around to.
Here are 50 things that can genuinely be worth spending money on after 60.
Travel and Experiences
1. The Trip You Keep Putting Off
If there is somewhere you have wanted to visit for years, consider whether you really need to keep saying “one day.”
Japan.
Italy.
The Australian Outback.
A cruise.
A road trip around Tasmania.
Whatever yours is, experiences can be one of the most rewarding uses of money in retirement.
You do not necessarily need luxury accommodation or business class flights.
Spend on getting there and experiencing the place.
2. Quality Luggage
Cheap luggage can become frustrating surprisingly quickly.
Wheels stop rolling properly, handles break and zippers become difficult just when you are trying to get through an airport.
If you travel regularly, a well made suitcase that is easy to manoeuvre can be worth paying more for.
View quality luggage on Amazon Australia
3. Packing Cubes
Not glamorous, but incredibly practical.
Packing cubes help separate clothes and other belongings inside your suitcase and make unpacking much easier.
They are particularly useful on longer trips where you are constantly moving between accommodation.
View packing cubes on Amazon Australia
4. Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Long flights involve hours of constant background noise.
Noise cancelling earbuds can make music, movies and podcasts easier to hear while also being useful throughout the rest of your trip.
And unlike a travel specific gadget, you can continue using them at home.
View noise cancelling earbuds on Amazon Australia
5. A Portable Power Bank
Your phone might now be your boarding pass, map, camera, accommodation booking, translator and way of contacting family.
That makes running out of battery considerably more annoying than it used to be.
A small power bank is one of those purchases you may barely think about until the day you desperately need it.
View portable power banks on Amazon Australia
6. A Really Good Meal
Not every worthwhile experience needs to involve flying across the world.
Book the restaurant you have always wanted to try.
Order something you would not normally cook at home.
Take your partner.
Take your family.
Invite an old friend.
Sometimes a few hundred dollars spent creating a memory with people you care about is money very well spent.
7. Visiting Family
If children, grandchildren, siblings or close friends live interstate or overseas, travelling to see them can be worth prioritising.
It is easy to tell yourself you will visit next year.
Then another year disappears.
Sometimes the destination matters less than who is waiting there.
8. A Better Seat When It Actually Matters
You do not need to upgrade every flight, concert or sporting event.
But there are occasions when paying more genuinely changes the experience.
Extra legroom on a particularly long flight.
A theatre seat where you can actually see the stage.
A comfortable seat at an event you have wanted to attend for years.
Spend more selectively rather than automatically choosing either the cheapest or most expensive option.
9. Travel Insurance
It is not an exciting purchase, but appropriate travel insurance can be one of the most important expenses associated with an overseas trip.
The right policy depends on your age, health, destination and activities.
Compare the actual cover rather than simply choosing the cheapest quote.
Read our guide to choosing travel insurance after 60:
10. More Time
This may be one of the best travel upgrades available in retirement.
Instead of paying thousands more for a luxurious seven day holiday, could you spend 14 days somewhere and travel more slowly?
Stay longer.
Have rest days.
Explore beyond the major attractions.
Retirement can give you something money could not buy during your working years.
Time.
Health and Fitness
11. Comfortable Walking Shoes
Walking is one of the simplest ways to remain physically active.
If uncomfortable footwear is stopping you from walking as much as you would like, a comfortable pair of appropriately fitted shoes can be worth the investment.
Your feet have a fairly important job.
Look after them.
View walking shoes on Amazon Australia
For more on walking after retirement:
12. Resistance Bands
You do not need an expensive home gym to perform resistance exercise.
Bands are inexpensive, easy to store and allow you to perform a wide range of exercises at home.
They are also easy to take with you when travelling.
View resistance bands on Amazon Australia
13. Dumbbells
A simple pair of dumbbells can dramatically expand the exercises available at home.
Choose resistance appropriate for your current ability and increase it gradually as you become stronger.
View dumbbells on Amazon Australia
14. Exercise You Actually Enjoy
The best exercise membership is not necessarily the fanciest gym.
It might be:
A swimming pool membership
Pilates
A walking club
Golf
A personal trainer
Group fitness
A local gym
Spend money on the activity you will actually continue doing.
15. Preventative Healthcare
There are plenty of things people happily spend hundreds of dollars maintaining.
Their car.
Their caravan.
Their garden.
Their home.
Your own health deserves attention too.
Keep up with appropriate health checks, dental care, eye care and appointments recommended for your individual circumstances.
16. A Good Exercise Mat
If you regularly exercise at home, a comfortable non slip mat can make floor exercises, mobility work and stretching much more pleasant.
View exercise mats on Amazon Australia
17. Professional Advice When You Need It
Sometimes paying someone who actually knows what they are doing saves months of frustration.
That might mean a physiotherapist for an injury, a dietitian for individual nutrition advice, an appropriately qualified exercise professional or another relevant health professional.
Do not spend hundreds of dollars on gadgets trying to solve something that needs proper assessment.
18. Food You Actually Enjoy Eating
Healthy eating does not need to mean buying every expensive product labelled as a superfood.
Spend on good ingredients you genuinely enjoy.
Fresh fruit.
Vegetables.
Quality proteins.
Foods that make cooking enjoyable.
The goal is not to create a perfect diet for seven days.
It is to build something you can happily eat for years.
Hiking and the Outdoors
19. Hiking Boots That Actually Fit
Good hiking footwear should suit your feet and the terrain you walk on.
Do not choose boots simply because someone online calls them the best.
Comfort and fit matter enormously.
View hiking boots on Amazon Australia
20. Hiking Poles
Walking poles can provide extra stability on uneven terrain and can be useful on climbs and descents.
If you enjoy bushwalking, a lightweight adjustable pair can be a worthwhile addition to your gear.
View hiking poles on Amazon Australia
21. A Comfortable Daypack
A good daypack gives you somewhere comfortable to carry water, food, sun protection, additional clothing and basic emergency supplies.
For ordinary day walks, you usually do not need an enormous hiking pack.
View hiking daypacks on Amazon Australia
22. A Proper Sun Hat
Australian sun is something worth taking seriously.
A comfortable wide brim hat is useful for hiking, gardening, caravanning, fishing and simply spending time outside.
View sun hats on Amazon Australia
23. A Compact First Aid Kit
A small first aid kit is useful for dealing with minor cuts, blisters and other everyday problems while away from immediate facilities.
What you carry should reflect where you are going and how remote the walk will be.
View compact first aid kits on Amazon Australia
24. An Emergency Communication Device for Remote Adventures
If you regularly hike or travel in remote parts of Australia, ordinary mobile reception cannot always be relied upon.
A satellite communicator can provide another method of communication when mobile coverage is unavailable.
Devices such as the Garmin inReach Mini 2 provide satellite messaging and an SOS function when used with the required satellite service.
25. National Park Trips
You do not need to travel overseas to find extraordinary places.
Australia has remarkable national parks across every state and territory.
Spend a few nights somewhere beautiful.
Walk.
Take photographs.
Sit somewhere quiet.
Sometimes the best investment is simply giving yourself a reason to get outside.
For inspiration:
Home and Everyday Comfort
26. A Mattress You Actually Sleep Well On
You spend a significant portion of your life in bed.
If your mattress is genuinely uncomfortable or long overdue for replacement, this is one area where buying purely on price may not make sense.
Try mattresses where possible and choose based on your own comfort rather than marketing promises.
27. A Comfortable Chair
The same logic applies to the chair you use every day.
If you spend hours reading, watching television or relaxing in the same spot, comfort matters.
Buy for your body and your home rather than whatever happens to be fashionable.
28. A Robot Vacuum
This is exactly the kind of technology I think can be worth spending money on.
Not because it is exciting.
Because it can give you time back.
A robot vacuum can handle some routine floor cleaning automatically while you do something considerably more enjoyable.
View robot vacuums on Amazon Australia
29. Help Around the House
There is no rule saying retirement means you suddenly have to enjoy cleaning gutters, mowing enormous lawns or doing every repair yourself.
If you can afford it, occasionally paying someone to do a job you dislike can be money extremely well spent.
You are not buying the task.
You are buying your time back.
30. Good Outdoor Furniture
If you have a patio, verandah or garden you love, make it somewhere you actually want to sit.
Morning coffee outside.
Lunch with friends.
Reading in the afternoon.
A drink as the sun goes down.
A comfortable outdoor space can improve ordinary days, not just special occasions.
31. Heating and Cooling
Comfort inside your own home matters.
If part of your house is unbearably hot in summer or freezing through winter, improving heating, cooling, insulation or shade can be a better use of money than another decorative purchase.
32. Things That Make Your Home Safer
Some purchases are worth making precisely because you hope they never become important.
Good lighting.
Secure handrails where appropriate.
Replacing genuinely slippery surfaces.
Smoke alarms.
Necessary maintenance.
You do not need to turn your house into a hospital.
Just fix obvious problems rather than waiting for them to become bigger ones.
Garden
33. Ergonomic Garden Tools
If you love gardening, tools that are comfortable to hold and use can make everyday jobs much more pleasant.
Look for tools that suit your grip, strength and the type of gardening you actually do.
View ergonomic garden tools on Amazon Australia
34. A Garden Kneeler
A padded kneeler with handles can make working closer to ground level more comfortable and provide support when getting back up.
View garden kneelers on Amazon Australia
35. Raised Garden Beds
Raised beds can bring plants closer to a comfortable working height and reduce some of the bending involved in gardening.
They can be particularly useful if you enjoy growing vegetables but would rather not spend as much time working at ground level.
View raised garden beds on Amazon Australia
36. Plants You Genuinely Love
Not every garden purchase needs to be practical.
Buy the tree you have always wanted.
Plant flowers because you like looking at them.
Grow tomatoes even if buying tomatoes from the supermarket would technically be cheaper.
A garden is allowed to exist simply because you enjoy it.
Grey Nomad and Camping
37. A Comfortable Camping Chair
After hours driving or exploring, having somewhere genuinely comfortable to sit outside can make camp considerably more enjoyable.
This is one camping item where comfort matters more than having the smallest possible packed size.
View camping chairs on Amazon Australia
38. Portable Solar
For travellers who spend time away from powered sites, an appropriate solar setup can provide greater flexibility.
What you need depends heavily on your battery setup, appliances and style of travel, so work out your power requirements before buying.
View portable solar panels
39. A Portable Fridge
For people who camp regularly or travel remotely, a portable fridge can be a major convenience.
Choose the size and power requirements based on how you actually travel rather than automatically buying the biggest model.
View portable camping fridges on Amazon Australia
40. Caravan Gear You Will Actually Use
This deserves its own item because caravan shops are extremely good at convincing new travellers they need everything.
You probably do not.
Start with safety, water, power and basic comfort.
Then travel.
You will quickly discover which extra gadgets would genuinely make your setup better.
Our first caravan trip guide covers what is worth considering:
Hobbies, Learning and Connection
41. A Hobby You Have Always Wanted to Try
Retirement is a pretty good time to finally answer:
I have always wanted to try…
Painting.
Woodworking.
Photography.
Fishing.
Pottery.
Gardening.
Golf.
Cooking.
Music.
Whatever yours is, give yourself permission to be terrible at it initially.
Being a beginner is part of the fun.
42. A Course
Learning does not have to stop when work does.
Take a photography course.
Learn a language.
Do a cooking class.
Learn to paint.
Study local history.
Take a gardening workshop.
Spend money on curiosity.
43. A Kindle or E Reader
If you read regularly, an e reader can be an excellent purchase.
Adjustable text size is useful, hundreds of books can be stored on one device and travelling becomes considerably easier when your entire reading list weighs almost nothing.
View Kindle e readers on Amazon Australia
44. A Camera If Photography Becomes a Real Hobby
Modern phones take excellent photographs, so you do not automatically need a dedicated camera.
But if photography itself becomes part of the hobby, a camera can open up considerably more creative control.
The key is buying one because you want to learn photography, not because someone told you your phone is not good enough.
45. Games You Can Play With Other People
A deck of cards, board game or puzzle might not cost much, but anything that regularly gets people around a table can be worth owning.
The value is not really the game.
It is the conversation around it.
For some ideas:
46. Tickets to Something You Love
Concerts.
Theatre.
Sport.
Comedy.
Festivals.
Museums.
Exhibitions.
There will always be another reason to stay home and save the money.
Occasionally buy the ticket.
47. Dinner With Old Friends
If there is someone you keep saying you should catch up with, organise it.
Do not wait for a birthday.
Do not wait for Christmas.
Call them.
Book somewhere.
Have lunch.
If there is someone from years ago you have been thinking about, our guide to reconnecting with old friends might help:
48. Experiences With Your Grandchildren
Children rarely need another expensive toy.
Take them somewhere.
Go to the zoo.
Go fishing.
Take them camping.
Teach them something.
Visit somewhere neither of you has been.
The activity does not need to be expensive for the memory to matter.
49. Something Completely Unnecessary That Makes You Happy
Not every purchase needs to improve your health, save money or provide a measurable return.
Sometimes you are allowed to buy something because you really like it.
A piece of art.
A ridiculously nice barbecue.
A guitar.
A beautiful plant.
A better coffee machine.
If you can comfortably afford it and you will genuinely enjoy it, that can be reason enough.
50. Your Time
This might be the most valuable thing on the entire list.
Spend money where it gives you time back.
Pay someone to do the job you hate.
Take the direct flight.
Stay an extra night instead of rushing home.
Choose convenience occasionally.
Retirement is not about squeezing every possible dollar out of life.
It is about making good use of the years those dollars were saved for.
The Honest Summary
None of these things will make retirement meaningful on their own.
Meaning comes from people, purpose, experiences and how you choose to spend your time.
But money can support those things.
Use it to look after yourself.
Use it to explore.
Use it to make everyday life easier.
Use it to spend time with people you care about.
And occasionally use it simply because something brings you joy.
You spent decades earning, saving and planning for the future.
Just remember to enjoy some of that future now.
What is something you have spent money on after 60 that was worth every dollar?
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