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My ACTUAL Monthly Retirement REVEALED

LEVEL 50 Lifestyle

58,002 views

Is early retirement actually possible without a massive fortune? In this video, I’m pulling back the curtain on my personal monthly budget to show you exactly how I manage my finances in early retirement. I break down my real income sources (including pensions and savings), my fixed outgoings, and the "unexpected" costs that almost tripped me up.

I also dive into the Kakeibo method—the Japanese art of mindful budgeting—and how it’s helped me shift my relationship with money to live a more intentional, frugal, and fulfilling lifestyle.

Get my KAKEIBO BOOK here: https://amzn.to/4r5qlxa

In this video, we cover:

My exact monthly income and pension breakdown.

Real-world expenses (Council tax, utilities, and kids’ maintenance).

The Kakeibo budgeting system and why it works.

Lessons learned from a £80 overspend last month.

Why "the bridge" years are the most expensive part of retirement.

Links mentioned in the video:

📖 The Kakeibo Budget Planner: https://amzn.to/4r5qlxa

📱 Plum AI Savings App: https://friends.withplum.com/r/Ah3QJW...

00:00 The Big Question: How much do you need to retire?

00:18 My Secret Weapon: The Kakeibo Budgeting Method

01:25 My Personal Situation: Mortgage-free & Child Maintenance

02:12 Income Breakdown: Pensions, Savings & YouTube

04:45 Regular Outgoings: Fixed Monthly Bills

06:45 The Net Budget: What’s left for "Real Life"

07:51 Tracking the Spend: Weekly Ledger Walkthrough

08:15 The January Results: Budget vs. Actual

11:17 The "Oops" Moment: My £80 Overspend Explained

12:41 Adjusting for February: Planning for a Cheaper Month

15:05 The Final Verdict: Is £1,500–£2,000 enough?

If you found this breakdown helpful, don't forget to Like and Subscribe for more videos on health, fitness, and lifestyle at 50+!

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more videos on navigating life after 50:
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Connect with me elsewhere:

👉🏻Instagram: Instagram: lordkensal

📚My books:
Mastering the Art of Small Steps: The Joyful Path of Kaizen
https://amzn.eu/d/bgDpFuI

Bushido Unplugged: Samurai Wisdom for the Modern World: How the Art of the Samurai Can Enrich Your Life Today
https://amzn.eu/d/hsm7X23

The Ikigai Blueprint: Unlocking Meaning, Passion, and Success in Your Everyday Journey
https://amzn.eu/d/3h7Mron

The Kakeibo Budget Planner: A No-Fuss Household Ledger to Track Spending, Save More, and Manage Money Mindfully
UK - Godzilla Scream - Sound Effect for editing
US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GG2CZXBW

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20 Comments

@level50lifestyle Creator 7 months ago Pinned

January was a bit of a reality check! 😅 Even with the Kakeibo method, those 'unexpected' costs for the kids and a few steaks managed to push me over budget.

I’m curious—for those of you planning for retirement or already there, what is the one expense that surprised you the most? Or if you're still working, what's your 'target' monthly number? Let's swap some ideas below! 👇

P.S. I’ve put the links for the Kakeibo planner and the Plum app in the description if you want to try them out!"

@rolo153 7 months ago

Thank you for being so transparent. When you share details like this it helps so many people to have a perspective of their own situation. I’ve really enjoyed your videos over the last few months. You come across as being an educated person who has the gift of communicating issues related to retirement to a different level. Long may it continue.

@overbyte 16 hours ago

This was a brilliantly helpful video. Thanks for being so open

@LooseyGooseyGander5 7 months ago

I've retired aged 58 no debts apart from the normal household bills.My pension is less than yours £10,000 per annum which is linked to inflation rise every April, but I don't have any reliant kids they've all left home now, I had a lump sum of £82,000 which I'm drawing from to keep me going till state pension age, I chuck £280 a week into the running of the house with my wife contributing the same, give myself £50 a week pocket money which I'm well happy with, don't drink or smoke, all going well at the moment, worth every penny to not have to go to work.

@gwynethgrove772 7 months ago

We are both retired , no mortgage, no debt and live a good life, but we budget and plan and save so that we don’t get any critical issues. Being ‘aware’ of your spending each month and ‘accountable’ for it is key.

@rayphot 7 months ago

Thanks for that, really useful video. I'm 54 in a few weeks and am looking at giving up the 9-5 at 57. I've worked out what I think is a sensible budget so your video was helpful in confirming some of my figures. I'm single, no kids, no mortgage or debts so mine is a bit easier. I track all my spending in Quicken and I've been doing that since 2004!!! I also use a few sinking funds to help pay for certain things over the year. I put £150 a month into a holiday fund. £200 a month into a new car fund. £150 a month into a motoring fund - this covers all the bills for my three vehicles (car - daily driver, Motorbike - commuting and fun, campervan - leisure vehicle). I hope you don't mind me mentioning it, but I noticed that you do seem to be paying quite a lot for water. Are you on a water meter? I pay £34 a month for mine, single bloke in a 3 bedroom house in the South West. Just curious. Anyway, keep up the good work. Cheers.

@denisfitzgerald3474 7 months ago

Thank you for the most realistic pension breakdown on YouTube. If I see another video titled “can you retire at 60 with a 750k pension” I’m going to scream! I’m 58 and have many friends who retired early on a small pension and tell me all the time to not leave it too late as you don’t need as much money as you think to retire. It’s an equation between time, money and health. I’m finishing at 60, won’t be rich but I’m going to enjoy my hobbies and spending time with my family while I can.

@markbon5146 7 months ago

Best and most honest retirement video I have ever watched. You are the first and only person who has given the real numbers. I always ask how much is enough. I have wandered the downs asking the same question again and again. Thank you for answering the real questions.

@Crypto-w8g8u 7 months ago (edited)

No debt, No mortgage is key

@lostnomads2285 7 months ago

Great content… £2k / month is enough when you are debt free, live modestly & plan ahead. Understanding your own real ‘numbers’ is crucial as you demonstrate. All the best for the channel.

@DrProgNerd 7 months ago

Great video. I've got 10 more years before I retire. I already live a pretty minimalist lifestyle. My consuming to consume consumer days are done. I don't like stuff . I like peace, quiet, and time to read a book.
This is very similar to what I imagine as my retired life. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate you opening the books.

@InvisibleZed 5 months ago

What a great video on the realities of surviving retirement within a budget - and so generous of you to share your own personal situation to help others.

@holisticallyme556 7 months ago

I love that you have it old fashion style pen and paper 😅 love it!

@12barbluesful 7 months ago

The other side of the coin is to make sure your savings are working hard, so you can take some of the interest to top up your income. For me it’s all about bridging the gap until I get my OAP.

@neilbeckwith8927 2 months ago

Wow - How nice to see someone being so open and honest. Keep up the great work.

@davidparrott9805 7 months ago

I have also just retired aged 60 and like you am mortgage free but have two adult children. My two DB pensions also pay me £2200 net per month and my wife will continue to work for another 3 years. I am finding that this is more than enough for me to enjoy my retirement without the need to touch my savings. I enjoy the simple pleasures in life and really enjoy your videos and your humourous content. Good luck on your journey and hopefully like me you are relishing every second of it.

@soupnazi22 7 months ago

Thank you for sharing so openly. Seeing someone's actual real life example is incredibly useful, especially on the types of things that are easily overlooked.

@K4R3N 7 months ago

3:25 you're a good father Clive. Haven't taken/received a penny from my father in 25 years since I left his house. Maybe that's the way it should be. But I look forward to helping my kids when I'm (semi) retired like you are doing. That would bring me some joy and purpose fulfilment.

@Kate_Short-For-Bob 6 months ago

I'm closing in on retirement (later this year, 58). The couple of things extra in my sums are
- saving ££ each month for the inevitable essential house repair that will come at some point (whether boiler, cooker, roof, whatever thing that can't be ignored / lived without)
- car. I'm running a mid-aged car. But it will have ongoing costs eg tyres, brakes, clutch (they are inevitable / predictable) and regular oil/filter changes (to extend the life of it to the max ! Delaying oil changes is short term saving for long term early failure).
I'm budgetting £100 a month to cover for all that.
- at some point a replacement car will be needed, even with the best will in the world. Even if 6 or 7 or 8 years old it will still cost several £k.