Sharon and I are one week into our East Coast adventure, working, writing and relaxing from a beautiful lodge here in Essex.
We’ve spent a thoroughly enjoyable few days exploring more of the coastline and, once again, it’s reminded me just how underrated this part of England really is.
From walking around Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze to visiting a lovely local vineyard, we’ve sampled some fantastic seafood and, of course, had the inevitable debate over what I chose to wear to lunch!
It got me thinking about three questions I’d love your thoughts on this weekend…
💪 1. Is strength training really that important as we get older?
I’ve become a real fan of strength training over the last few years. Nothing extreme—just sensible, regular exercises with dumbbells and resistance bands a few times each week.
I genuinely feel stronger, fitter and have far more energy because of it.
Sharon isn’t quite so convinced, and neither are several of my friends.
They tend to picture heavy weights and intimidating gyms, whereas I see it as an insurance policy for staying active and independent.
If you strength train, what persuaded you to start?
And if you don’t… what’s stopping you?
Drop email below for resistant band workout
🦪 2. Oysters… the food of love or do they just make you gag?
One of this week’s highlights was discovering just how famous Mersea Island is for its native oysters.
Having eaten oysters in several parts of the world, I have to say the Mersea oyster is right up there. It has a slightly different, wonderfully crisp flavour—but I think that’s exactly what makes it special.
Digging into it, I found a surprising fact. A serving of six oysters contains around 15 grams of high-quality protein, very few calories and is packed with Vitamin B12, zinc, copper and heart-healthy omega-3 oils. No wonder they’re considered a genuine superfood.
So where do you stand?
❤️ Food of love?
🤢 Or do they just make you gag?
And if you do enjoy them, do you chew them, swallow them whole, or prefer them grilled or baked?
👔 3. Has the sports jacket had its day?
We stopped for lunch at a lovely gastro pub mid-week and I thought I’d pulled together a pretty sharp smart-casual outfit…
A navy blazer…
A classic polo shirt…
Well-fitted jeans…
And brown shoes.
Apparently Sharon wasn’t quite as impressed, and I took a bit of friendly stick for it!
Personally, I still think a structured sports jacket or blazer is the perfect way to smarten up a casual look without feeling overly formal.
What’s your verdict?
👔 Stylish and timeless?
😄 A little old-fashioned?
🤔 Or was it the brown shoes with the navy blazer that crossed the line?
One Final Thought…
People so often overlook Essex as a holiday destination, but after spending a week exploring its villages, vineyards, coastal paths and beaches, I honestly think it has an incredible amount to offer for a short break.
Sometimes the best hidden treasures are much closer to home than we realise.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and I look forward to reading your comments below!
Grab a black coffee—or a quick espresso if you need that extra caffeine kick—and let’s have a real, straight-talking chat.
I was asked an interesting question last week while talking to one of my long-standing business clients.
“Steve, how do you manage to be away so often, whether it’s travelling around the UK or heading overseas? I simply can’t afford it.”
I had to laugh.
Not because it was a silly question, but because I’ve worked with this client for more than six years. I know his company’s finances almost better than I know my own, and I’m fairly certain he’s not short of a few pennies.
As we talked, it struck me that perhaps the issue isn’t always how much money we have. Sometimes it’s about how well we manage what we’ve already got, and whether we’re making the most of the opportunities available to us.
That conversation stayed with me all week.
Many of you have told me that money is one of the subjects you’d most like us to explore together—not because you’re struggling, but because you want to make smarter decisions that help you enjoy life after 60 even more.
So, over the coming months, our Wednesday Finance Conversations will look at a wide range of topics—from pensions and retirement income to investing, working a little longer, turning hobbies into income, and making the most of what you’ve already built.
Today’s conversation begins with a question many people quietly ask themselves…
What happens when your pension isn’t quite what you hoped for?
There’s a very specific kind of quiet anxiety that comes when you open your annual pension statement, look at the final number, and realise it doesn’t quite match the life you had pictured.
Maybe you aren’t staring at a crisis. But you are looking at a lifestyle gap—the difference between a comfortable retirement and the active, travel-filled, intellectually stimulating next chapter you really want to live.
The good news is that a pension shortfall doesn’t have to define your retirement. It can simply become the starting point for making a few thoughtful decisions that help you build the life you want.
How Can You Reduce Spending Without Feeling Deprived?
Before looking at how to bring more money in, the fastest way to give yourself a raise is to look at what’s going out.
This isn’t about living on beans on toast or cutting out the dinners at your favorite local Italian.
Instead, it’s about a strategic efficiency audit. It’s about spotting the passive “leaks”—lazy cash sitting in zero-interest high-street accounts, outdated insurance policies, or unused premium subscriptions—and consciously redirecting those exact savings straight into your travel fund.
Should You Continue Working After 60?
Stepping away from a demanding, 50-hour workweek doesn’t mean you have to stop working entirely. A “portfolio career”—taking on selective, part-time roles or flexible projects—is the perfect halfway house. It keeps your mind sharp, provides a brilliant social outlet, and brings in a highly predictable income stream to fund those spontaneous weekend city breaks.
Can Your Experience Become a New Income Stream?
By the time you reach your 60s, you have decades of high-level problem-solving skills and industry networks. Whatever work you have done, you will have skills that businesses are crying out for, experienced, safe hands who can solve problems without needing hand-holding.
Freelancing or project-based consulting allows you to sell your intellect, not your hours, entirely on your own terms.
4. Turn a Passion Into a Lifestyle Business
Whether it’s photography, writing, gardening, or a craft you’ve spent decades refining, the digital world has made it incredibly simple to build a small, highly enjoyable business around a hobby. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work—but the extra income can easily fund your next holiday to Crete or Thailand.
5. Play the Strategic Waiting Game
If you are earning an income through consulting or a small business, you might not need to draw your pension benefits immediately. Delaying when you take them can dramatically increase your future guaranteed payouts. For instance, in the UK, deferring your State Pension by just one year boosts your weekly payouts by roughly 5.8% for the rest of your life.
6. Claim Your Ground (Hidden Allowances & Lost Pots)
True financial realism means ensuring you aren’t leaving your own money on the table. This means maximizing your tax-free ISA allowances, structuring your cash withdrawals efficiently, and actively hunting down “lost” pension pots from previous employers.
Where to Get Free, Trusted Help
You don’t have to figure all of this out alone, and you don’t necessarily need to pay a premium for a private financial adviser right out of the gate. There are fantastic, free, and completely impartial resources available in the UK to help you map out your options:
Pension Wise (from MoneyHelper): A free, government-backed service specifically for people aged 50 or over. They offer highly clear, specialist telephone or face-to-face appointments to explain your pension options.
The MoneyHelper Service: Provides free, unbiased advice on everything from budgeting and savings to trace-a-pension services.
Citizens Advice: An invaluable resource for checking if you are entitled to any specific local council tax support or marriage allowances you might have overlooked.
Of course, if you have a highly complex estate, checking in with a regulated, independent financial adviser (IFA) is always a smart move to get personalised tax planning.
Let’s Build This Together
An unexpected pension number is simply a prompt to get creative. It’s an invitation to build a retirement that is far more active, purposeful, and intellectually stimulating than the traditional model.
Over the coming Wednesdays, we are going to dive deep into each of these areas with highly practical, real-world blueprints.
☕ Coffee Break Question
If an extra £5,000 appeared in your bank account tomorrow, what would you do with it?
Would you travel, help the family, improve your home, save it for the future, or finally treat yourself to something you’ve always wanted?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments because many of your ideas often inspire future Wednesday Finance Conversations.
Next Wednesday…
We’ll carry out The Adventure Fund Audit and see how many of us could fund our next adventure simply by plugging a few quiet financial leaks—without feeling deprived.
This weekend is bringing some of my favourite things together.
As discussed in Wednesday’s post, for the next three weeks we are embarking on a travel adventure, searching out new coastal gems, hotels, pubs, and restaurants—no plans set in stone.
First stop on Thursday was family time and new baby cuddles in Hampshire.
Now, it’s a scenic drive to Sharon’s sister’s lodge in Essex for a week of relaxation and time to write some informative and enjoyable PDFs and e-books.
My Weekend Questions
Can England finally win the World Cup, and why are there suddenly so many experts?
Why do beer, football, and curry go together?
Why is turmeric good for us?
We all know smiling is good for us… but what if you can’t get out of your bad mood?
And why is the coast so good for my soul?
Because of the late kick-off, we are going to watch the football at the lodge.
The fridge has been stocked, the curry menu is already being debated, and somehow my wife—who barely watches football the rest of the year—has become the nation’s newest football pundit. Apparently, every referee decision is obvious… after the fifth replay!
But perhaps that’s one of the things I enjoy most about tournament football. It brings everyone together, whether they’re lifelong supporters or experts for just a few weeks every two years.
⚽ Football Conversation
Why does every England tournament create so many football experts?
My wife only watches major tournaments, yet somehow she instantly knows:
who should be substituted
why the manager got it wrong
whether it was definitely a penalty.
I’m sure many households are exactly the same.
Question for readers: Who is the part-time football expert in your family and are England finally going to win the World Cup again, my wife says they will?
🌶️ Food Conversation
Why do football, curry, and beer seem to go together?
It’s become almost a tradition now. Wherever we watch England, at home or in a pub somewhere, we nearly always end up with beer, football, and a curry.
Sometimes it’s in a restaurant, and sometimes—as will be the case this Saturday—it’s a well-deserved takeaway. It’s not obligatory, and any takeaway can work, but my preference is always for curry.
Saturday football. A pint. And a curry.
Perhaps it’s because curries are perfect for sharing with family and friends while watching sport. The spices, aromas, and variety make every meal feel like an occasion.
My Top Five Curries:
Chicken Jalfrezi
Lamb Rogan Josh
Chicken Tikka Masala
Madras
Balti
There are so many to choose from, but these are just some of my favourites.
Question for readers: What’s your favourite curry?
🟡 Health Conversation
Why is turmeric considered so good for us?
Turmeric contains curcumin, a natural compound that research suggests has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Scientists continue to study its potential role in:
reducing inflammation
supporting joint health
helping recovery after exercise
supporting brain health as we age.
It isn’t a miracle spice—but it’s certainly one ingredient many healthy diets include.
😊 Mindset Conversation
We all know smiling is good for us… but what do you do when you simply can’t smile?
Some days just don’t go to plan. We’ve all had those mornings when nothing seems right. I’ve learnt not to force happiness. Instead, I try something simple.
Maybe it’s:
going for a walk
making a coffee
putting some music on
watching an old comedy
chatting to someone
or simply changing my surroundings.
Sometimes the smallest change is enough to shift your mood.
Question for readers: What helps lift your mood when you’re having one of those days?
🌊 Looking Ahead
Why I can’t wait to get back to the coast
This week I’ll finally be spending a few days by the sea. I’ve always found there’s something calming about the coast.
The sound of the waves. The smell of the sea air. Fish and chips eaten outside.
A long walk without looking at the clock. For me, it’s one of the few places where life naturally slows down.
Perhaps it’s because the sea reminds us that some things are far bigger than the emails, meetings, and worries we carry around.
After a couple of days by the coast, I always return feeling lighter. I’m already looking forward to it.
Question for readers: If you could disappear anywhere for a few days, where would you go?
Final Thoughts
Football. Friends. A good curry. Maybe a cold beer. A laugh with family. And a walk beside the sea.
Sometimes the best weekends are built from life’s simplest pleasures.
This week, I’m asking two questions that might seem completely unrelated, but they actually go hand in hand.
Could you head off on a three-week road trip with no firm plans or bookings, or would that send your stress levels soaring?
And…
Do you know which fats help keep us healthy in our 60s, and which ones are best enjoyed only occasionally?
The reason I’m asking is because, at this very moment, Sharon and I are setting off on a three-week adventure that goes completely against our usual travel rules.
We’re travelling with nothing more than a sketchy plan, a packed car and a sense of adventure.
First stop: Family time
Our first destination is Hampshire to spend a few days with my son, his partner and our seven-week-old grandson, Joey.
We had a FaceTime call recently and my son looked absolutely shattered.
Apparently, Joey has decided that sleeping for more than two hours at a time is completely overrated.
My son doesn’t quite realise it yet, but this is one of those chapters he’ll be reminding Joey about for the rest of his life.
That’s what fathers are for, isn’t it?
Embracing the sketchy plan
After our grandparent duties are complete, Sharon and I are doing something we almost never do.
We’re heading up the UK’s east coast with no detailed itinerary.
Our first stop is Essex, where Sharon’s sister has invited us to stay at her “caravan.”
Although calling it a caravan is stretching the truth somewhat. It’s more like a luxury lodge with every modern comfort.
The peaceful surroundings will give me the perfect opportunity to continue writing some of the upcoming Ropho digital guides and ebooks.
After that…
No hotel bookings.
No timetable.
No pressure.
Just a road trip exploring some of Britain’s coastal gems.
Following a recent conversation about how fortunate we are to have such beautiful countryside and coastline, I realised we often rush off abroad without properly exploring what’s on our own doorstep.
Don’t worry—we’ve still got Crete booked for September!
This trip is different.
We’re searching for memorable pubs, independent restaurants, boutique B&Bs and characterful hotels that I can genuinely recommend for future Ropho readers looking for a weekend away.
The Road Trip Food Challenge
As exciting as spontaneous travel sounds, it does present one challenge.
Food.
British seaside towns mean fish and chips.
Country pubs mean hearty pies.
Long days exploring often lead to desserts that somehow seem impossible to refuse.
I’ve packed my resistance bands, so I’ll still be doing my three strength sessions each week.
But after last week’s conversation about protein, it seemed the perfect opportunity to look at another important subject…
Healthy fats.
The Truth About Fats
For years, fat became the nutritional villain.
Everything was labelled “low fat” and many of us were led to believe that all fat was bad.
Thankfully, we’ve learned much more since then.
Healthy fats are essential.
They help support our heart, brain and joints, provide lasting energy and help our bodies absorb important vitamins.
As we get older, those benefits become even more important.
The challenge isn’t avoiding fat.
It’s choosing the right kinds most of the time.
Foods to enjoy regularly
Extra virgin olive oil
Avocados
Nuts and seeds
Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel
Eggs
Foods to enjoy in moderation
Butter
Cheese
Full-fat Greek yoghurt
These foods can absolutely form part of a healthy diet—they’re simply worth enjoying in sensible portions.
Foods best kept as occasional treats
Processed meats
Commercially fried foods
Pastries
Cakes
Biscuits
Foods containing trans fats
Now, before anyone points it out…
Yes.
I fully expect to enjoy fish and chips somewhere along the coast.
Ropho has never been about perfection.
It’s about balance.
My favourite travel tip
You don’t need calorie-counting apps or kitchen scales when you’re on holiday.
I use a very simple guide.
Think thumb-sized.
A thumb-sized portion is roughly the amount of healthy fat most meals need.
That might be:
a drizzle of olive oil
a small handful of nuts
half an avocado
a modest portion of cheese
Healthy fats are satisfying.
Get the balance right and they’re much more likely to keep you full than leave you searching for the next sugary snack.
The Ropho View
Growing older shouldn’t mean giving up adventure.
Nor should healthy eating mean removing all the enjoyment from food.
As Sharon and I head off with our sketchy itinerary, the goal isn’t perfection.
It’s balance.
We’ll keep moving.
I’ll keep up my resistance training.
We’ll choose grilled fish more often than deep-fried.
And when we discover that perfect coastal pub, we’ll enjoy it without feeling guilty.
Because making the most of life after 60 isn’t about following rules.
It’s about making good choices most of the time while still creating memories worth talking about.
Now I’d love to hear from you.
Could you cope with a three-week trip without every hotel booked in advance, or would that be your idea of a nightmare?
And when you’re travelling, how do you manage to eat well without missing out on all the local treats?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.
This article combines personal experience with general nutritional guidance. Information on healthy fats has been informed by resources from the British Heart Foundation. Everyone’s health is different, so if you have a medical condition or specific dietary needs, it’s always worth discussing them with your GP or another qualified healthcare professional.
Happy weekend. Grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s dive into this week’s three big questions.
1. Nostalgia: Rose-Tinted Specs or Genuine Fun?
We’ve all done it.
We look at the modern world—with its hyper-connectivity, complex tech, and delivery drivers dropping everything to our doorsteps—and we sigh for the “good old days.”
But let’s take off the rose-tinted spectacles for a second and look at the reality. (I will come back to instant shopping in a minute.)
I distinctly remember my parents’ first house. Luxury it was not.
We are talking about an outdoor toilet that was a test of endurance in January, and a tin bath that had to be dragged inside and filled manually.
If you weren’t first in the water queue, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a spa experience.
My kids don’t believe this particular story, however, it is completely true.
Renovations had to be saved up for, and in my 6-year-old memory, the bathroom took forever to resemble something similar to what we would expect now.
Which brings me to a conversation I had with one of my lovely grandchildren. It went something like this:
“What are you doing?”
“I’m looking through some old photographs of when I was about your age.”
“But some are in black and white, and the colour ones are really weird. Were your parents blind?”
Now, this is where kids have a fantastic way of telling the truth.
Because I’m not sure if she was talking about the avocado bathroom suite we had waited so long for, the bright orange flowers on the wallpaper, the horrendous matching clothes my two younger brothers and I had to endure every time we went out, or the horrendous basin-cut hairstyles.
This was the trigger that started me thinking about memories and nostalgia.
Was it actually “more fun” back then? Or are we just romanticising a time when our joints didn’t ache and our biggest responsibility was being home before the streetlamps came on?
The truth is, the fun wasn’t in the lack of plumbing, the weird psychedelic colours, or the haircuts—it was the freedom. We didn’t have algorithms competing for our attention. We had imagination, a football, and a neighbourhood to explore.
So while I will gladly leave the tin bath in the history books, maybe we can carry a bit of that uncomplicated, offline freedom into our weekends today.
Finally, let’s get back to instant shopping. Amazon and the like have undoubtedly made life easier.
No aching legs, no hunting for a parking space, and no carrying armfuls of shopping bags back to the car.
But what have we quietly given up in return?
The smell of a good department store. Stopping for a coffee halfway through the afternoon. Repartee with the assistant while buying a new suit or trying the latest Hugo aftershave.
Patiently (or not so patiently) sitting outside another changing room while your wife tries on what feels like every dress within a five-mile radius.
Mind you, online shopping has its downsides too.
I seem to have a wardrobe full of clothes that looked perfect on the screen but somehow don’t fit in real life.
They sit there for months because I never quite get round to sending them back.
Maybe that’s the point about nostalgia.
It isn’t that shopping itself was better. It’s that, somewhere along the way, buying something stopped being an outing and became a transaction.
2. Dealing with Failure and Disappointment in Your 60s
In my line of work as a business advisor, you quickly learn a sobering truth: you witness just as many failures as you do successes. You can analyse the data, build the perfect strategy, and lead the horse directly to the water—but you absolutely cannot make him drink it.
When you hit your 60s, your relationship with failure changes dramatically.
Looking back at my younger years, I flat-out refused to accept failure. Why? Because like most young men, I was plagued by the absolute certainty that I was always right.
It’s a funny cycle. I see my 18-year-old grandson navigating the exact same mindset today.
He’s convinced the world has it in for him, frustrated that he isn’t earning top dollar yet, and convinced that things should just happen faster.
It’s easy to look at the younger generation and think, “They want it all handed to them on a plate.” But then I catch myself, smile, and remember: where have I heard that before? We were exactly the same.
The real gift of navigating disappointment in your 60s is perspective.
In your 20s and 30s, failure feels like an identity—it defines you.
In your 60s, failure is just feedback. It’s an occurrence, not a reflection of your worth.
We now have the mileage to know that a setback is rarely fatal.
When a plan falls through or a project misses the mark, we don’t take it as a personal insult from the universe. We just look at the horse, shrug, and go look for one that’s actually thirsty.
And remember this: if you try something and it doesn’t work, a lot of people I talk to think they have failed.
My answer is simply this: you tried, and it didn’t work out this time. Failure would have been not trying.
Have a fantastic weekend. What are your memories of the “good old days”—and do you actually miss them? Let me know in the comments.
3. The September Getaway: The Balearics vs. The Greek Islands
September is our favourite time for travel. The school crowds have vanished, the intense summer heat has mellowed into something perfectly warm, and the sea is at its absolute best.
If you are plotting a late-season European break, two major contenders usually top the list. How do they stack up?
The Balearics (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza)
The Vibe: Effortless and sophisticated.
The Travel: A short, breezy flight from the UK (around 2 to 2.5 hours), making it incredibly accessible.
The Highlights: Beyond the bustling resorts lie stunning rugged coastlines, world-class dining, and historic stone villages. It is perfect if you want great seafood, excellent infrastructure, and a quick transit.
The Greek Islands (Crete, Corfu, Rhodes)
The Vibe: Timeless, slow-paced, and deeply cultural.
The Travel: A bit more of a commitment (closer to 4 hours), but worth every minute.
The Highlights: Unmatched history, crystal-clear Aegean waters, and a slower pace of life that forces you to unwind. The food is simple, fresh, and legendary.
The Verdict
If you want a quick, seamless transition to a sun lounger with great gastronomy, head West to the Balearics.
If you want a deeper, sun-drenched escape where the days stretch out lazily, head East to Greece.
Drop your email below for my curated PDF recommendations on fantastic 5-star hotels that will help you create the getaway you need.
Having launched Ropho back in mid-January, I wanted to take a moment this weekend to revisit a couple of my early subjects.
Both feel incredibly relevant right now, especially as we head into the summer season.
Here are my three questions for you this weekend:
1. What does style mean to you in your sixties?
I wrote a post early on about how our younger years shape our identity, and why attitude matters more than age.
Style isn’t just about the clothes you wear or how much you spend.
It’s not even just about hair—which is a conversation in itself! As someone who is follicly challenged, I know it changes for us men, but I also listen to my wife, her friends, and our daughters constantly discussing it.
Our daughter Rachel, whose hair fell out during chemo, has recently ditched the wigs as it slowly grows back. She is entirely embracing a short, funky look, and she looks fantastic.
True style is about inner confidence, posture, and movement.
Last week was incredibly busy, and right after a great time at Royal Ascot, I was invited to speak at a private, relatively exclusive conference.
The room was filled with highly successful, established manufacturing entrepreneurs and their partners—people who, by any traditional metric, have reached the top of their game.
Yet, as I looked around, what fascinated me wasn’t the business success. It was the sheer variety of styles on display.
Some men and women looked entirely comfortable in their own skin, while others seemed to be quietly retreating into safe, neutral choices.
This leads nicely into my second question, which goes a bit deeper into how the world sees us versus how we see ourselves.
How do we balance the many overlapping challenges we face—supporting family, navigating work, or considering retirement?
This was the focus of one of my most highly engaged early articles, The Over-60 Paradox.
It’s about how we can be the absolute stabilising force for multiple generations, yet still struggle to find time for our own future chapters.
So, my second question: How do you balance being there for everyone else without losing sight of your own identity and purpose? 👉 Read the Over-60 Paradox post here
3. What’s your go-to summer drink?
As many of you know, I love a good single malt or a glass of red wine. However, in this scorching summer heat, a heavy whiskey by the BBQ doesn’t quite hit the mark.
My third question is purely practical: What are your favorite, affordable UK alcoholic drinks for social events and summer BBQs?
I’m looking for something refreshing that beats the heat without breaking the bank.
Over to You…
I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on any (or all) of these three questions in the comments below. Let’s start a conversation.
