Tips on making new friends after retirement

It's a great idea to come up with new ways of making friends when you retire to spend all that extra free time with. Here are four tips on how to meet people after you retire.

• Having a dog means that you will have to get out of the house to take it on walks, possibly get it training lessons and take it out to the local dog parks to meet other dogs. It's a great way to make sure you stay active and it makes it easy to meet other people in your community.
• Fellow dog-owners can also get together for charity events or do work with local animal rights organizations, which are great ways to meet people.

• There are probably a number of places near you where you can offer volunteer assistance. Anywhere from schools to non-profits to hospitals or shelters can always use more volunteers to help them keep their operation running smoothly.
• It's easy to make friends by volunteering because you'll be working with a group of people and spending time together each week.

• Many retired people make a habit of going to their favourite restaurants once or twice a week. Find one or two that you like and make yourself a regular there.
• Chances are, you will eventually be able to strike up a conversation with other regulars, the owners or the staff, which is a great way to make friends.
• You might find people with similar interests who you can meet up with outside of the restaurant, or you might at least find people you can have weekly dinners with at the restaurant.

• There are many clubs that exist specifically for retired people. Depending on what your interests are, you can find a club that will allow you to meet people who share the same interests.
• Book clubs are great for people who love to read or, if you're involved with a church, inquire about different church groups that you could become a part of.