Welcome to the Friday edition of our daily blog series: Week in Review. Each week, we’ll take a moment to reflect on key accomplishments, personal learnings, markets, investments, and our evolving retirement lifestyle.
Now that we’ve completed our first full week of retirement, one thing stands out: the days fly by. At work, we often said the days dragged while the years flew—retirement is proving to be the opposite, at least so far.
What We’ve Been Up To
Mrs. Retirement-55 continues working her usual hybrid schedule—two days from home and three in the office. Mr. Retirement-55 has been focused on establishing a healthy morning routine, planning nutritious meals, growing Delco Financial Partners, knocking out small home projects, and carving out time for leisure activities. It’s been a fulfilling start.
We’ve also successfully launched our daily blog series with a post each weekday:
• Monday – Investment Strategies
Market outlooks, portfolio allocation, risk management, long-term growth
• Tuesday – Income & Budgeting
Passive income, Social Security, pensions, budgeting tools, expense tracking
• Wednesday – Building a Brand
Personal branding, starting a business in retirement, blogging/journaling, social media tips
• Thursday – Retirement Planning & Lifestyle
Merging the practical with the aspirational
• Friday – Week in Review
Reflections, market updates, personal insights, and top highlights
⸻
Markets
We’ll use this space each week for a brief market overview and to share how we’re managing our own investments. We’re not following the news in depth—just keeping the business channel on in the background for up to three hours a day while we work at the desk. We plan to reduce that to one hour once the site and social media are running smoothly.
This week was a rollercoaster in the markets, largely driven by uncertainty around tariffs. The SPY dipped as low as $481 and climbed to $546 in after-hours trading—without closing in bear territory ($490) or moving above the 200-day moving average. We’ll be watching that closely as a trigger for any bullish trade signals.
⸻
Investments
A quiet week on the trading front. We continue to hold a sizable cash-equivalent balance in both our IRA and 401(k), waiting for more favorable conditions. One notable position: a sell option on NVDA, which expires today and will likely remain out of the money. We’ll reevaluate next week to explore income opportunities, despite the stock being down from our original buy point.
We also have a VZ option expiring next week. It’s currently in the money, and we’ll decide whether to roll the position or let it go and reenter at a more attractive price. We like the 6.3% dividend yield here, so it remains on our radar.
⸻
Managing Finances
No significant income or expenses this week. Aside from a small state income tax credit, things have been quiet—exactly what we hoped for. We’re still on track to cover expenses through the end of the month without tapping into the 401(k), which is a big early win.
⸻
Highlights from the Week
We’ve built a steady daily routine with up to three hours dedicated to health and wellness, including strength training, stretching, meditation, and reading.
We’re cooking healthier meals more frequently—especially breakfast and lunch—and finding joy in that process. Mr. Retirement-55 knocked out a major garage reorganization, tackled closet cleanouts, and even got a round of golf in. We also traveled to Cape Cod last weekend for a wedding shower and quality time with our daughter’s future in-laws.
⸻
Final Thoughts
It’s been a quality start to retirement—productive, balanced, and meaningful. We’re energized by this new lifestyle and can’t wait to share more with you next week.
Retirement-55 
Leave a comment