If you’ve been lucky enough to retire early, it’s inevitable that you’ll have more free time on your hands. Some of that time can be put to use in rediscovering favourite pastimes that might have been sidelined when you were working five days a week.
Many of the games enjoyed at different stages in life are still available to play in the old-fashioned way but – thanks to online technology – many games are now quicker, easier and, possibly, even more fun when played online.
Try the online versions of some old favourites and decide which way you now prefer to play.
Online bingo – Easier than ever
Bingo has always been a game that is easy to play but, in the traditional version, players had to keep their wits about them. They had to focus their eyes down on their cards and listen out intently for the number calls for any matches so that they could shout ‘line’ or ‘house’ before any other player in the hall.
Today’s version at any online bingo site is much easier, with all the requirements for quiet and concentration removed from the game. The software marks a player’s cards and, at bgo.com/bingo, they point out you can even play simultaneous games using the multi-play feature. You might choose which game to play according to the size of the progressive jackpots listed on the bgo bingo home page (Skyrocket is currently over £80,000) or decide which room to go to by looking at how many players are already in there (also displayed on the home page). Whichever game you decide to join, it’s only part of the entertainment value that you get from playing online. That is because you can chat to other players while you play in the bingo chat rooms. If you’re new to bingo chatting, check out some of the most popular abbreviations at Costa Bingo’s bingo lingo page. Playing online bingo is really straightforward, but if you’re never played before, you may want to consult the how to play guide at Epic Bingo.
Share your thoughts with the world with your own blog
Journal writing is something that we all try at different times in our lives, but when you’re working it’s not always possible to keep a journal on a regular basis. For most of us, it’s a New Year’s resolution that quickly goes by the wayside before the daffodils have bloomed. Now that you’ve retired, why not try a modern approach to journal writing by keeping your own blog? It could be about anything – what you’re doing day to day, what you’ve seen at the theatre or cinema, or new recipes you’ve tried out. As your blog grows, you could have different sections for the different topics that interest you. You can also share your thoughts and musings with friends and family and the wider internet community as your blog gains followers and momentum.
Go digital with your favourite tunes
Few of us play our music on vinyl these days, although there are certainly some who still have huge record collections. Most of us will have ditched our vinyl years ago and have our music collection on CD or in an iTunes account. But have you ever used a music app like Spotify? You can get hold of almost any tune you can think of, immediately, and play it for free? If not, maybe it’s time to update your music collection and get into streaming music rather than going out and buying CDs or paying for them on iTunes.
When you first stop working, it’s natural to worry that you’ll have too much time on your hands. But, relax, there’s always something entertaining to do and even more so when you look at all the online entertainment options now available.