For many older single women, housing insecurity can come as an unwelcome surprise. We’ve spent our best decades building a family, caring for loved ones, and holding down a career. The reward is often divorce, job loss, and estrangement. When coupled with scarcity of suitable affordable housing, and cost of living far outstripping earnings or interest from savings, it becomes hard to keep a roof over your head.

Retirement is a wonderful time to enjoy life’s treasures, to finally prioritize the things that truly matter. But the key to a fulfilling retirement doesn’t necessarily lie in how much you have to spend, but in how you spend. Aligning your finances with your personal values can make your retirement years rich with purpose and satisfaction, no matter your budget.

As I sit in a quiet corner, a cup of herbal tea cradled between my palms, I find myself musing over questions that may be familiar to many women at my stage of life. Mine seem to have been crafted from the fabric of my experiences and the looming unknowns that color my future. There’s an undeniable uncertainty surrounding the years ahead; a blend of excitement and trepidation; a delicate dance between hope and uncertainty.

Australia’s affordable housing landscape has been deteriorating for decades, starkly contrasting with the progressive approaches seen in Europe, especially in the realm of housing co-operatives. While co-ops in Australia make up a meagre 0.1% of housing, in parts of Europe, co-ops constitute around 20%, offering dignified and affordable living solutions. In Australia, however, affordable housing options are rapidly disappearing, as older, low-rise apartments are being replaced by luxury high-rises, catering primarily to wealthy buyers or first-time homebuyers with dual incomes.