Looking forward to retirement

Rick Finlayson has been a member of FireSuper for over 30 years.

A typical day for me starts with truck checks, PT, smoko, drills, lunch, more truck checks, responding to call outs and department work with a few laughs along the way. Outside of work, I enjoy catching up with friends and spending time with my family. We love travelling, camping and generally relaxing around the house.

Saving for my retirement is important, now more than ever. I have been a part of the Scheme since its inception, which was more than 30 years ago. As I have been saving for over 30 years I have done the hard yards and am now looking forward to reaping the rewards. When I do retire, it means we will not have many financial worries as we roll through retirement and we will be able to travel and live comfortable without having to worry about just relying on the Government-provided New Zealand Superannuation.

I am on the home stretch and am only five and a half years away from retirement. I feel I am right on track to saving for when that time comes around. The main things I am looking forward to when I retire is spending time with my wife, looking after my grandchildren and being able to pop away for trips without having to think about a return to work date.

In the last few years there has been quite a bit of market volatility, I generally do not engage with my investments and leave that up to the investment managers of the Scheme. If I need information regarding my account, I will log into my online account on the FireSuper website and usually wait for my end of year statement. I also keep up with Scheme and investment news by reading any online updates and the newsletter we receive each quarter.

I would highly recommend the FireSuper Scheme to new employees of Fire and Emergency New Zealand, joining the Scheme should be a no brainer. As mentioned earlier I have been a member of the Scheme since its inception and I know what a healthy balance looks like when you are closing in on retirement. One of the main things I am looking forward to when I do retire is having the freedom to do what I want when I want and to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.