After work, Kim Brown drops her heavy shoulder bags to the floor and tosses her keys and coffee mug on the table.

“It’s the tiredness, and I feel old. That’s what it is,” Brown said.

Usually she comes home and flips on the TV for some much needed rest and relaxation, but on a recent night, she had a project. She was building a four-story OMG Doll House for the grandkids, something that she even admits she barely has the time to do these days.

“That’s one of the things that if I was going to retire, that I would be doing way more stuff with my grandkids, for sure,” Brown said. “That’s not really an option now, though.”

Brown would be up for retirement through a state job this October if she elected, but she’s opted to work longer due to recent trends.

“My car two years ago, I paid $36 to get my car filled up. I paid $58 the other day,” Brown said.

The cost of retirement isn’t near what Brown had planned for just a few years ago.

“Yeah, just the cost of everything from gas to food and all the investments have gone down dramatically, so that’s a big deal,” Brown said.

She’s not alone in her decision to push off retirement.

According to BMO Real Financial Progress Index, 25% of Americans are delaying retirement. Another 21% of survey respondents said they are putting away less for retirement to keep up with growing costs.

Financial advisor Mike Stopera said he has seen the trend, but cautions clients and people nearing retirement that the right plan can help cut down on extra years of work.

“It’s super important to not have all your eggs in one basket, you want to have diversification,” Stopera said. “Some money in the market, some money out of the market, so therefore it alleviates some pressure. If they have more diversification, that brings down that level of worry quite a bit.”

For those who have entered retirement and worry about making money count, he said don’t panic and hold the course.

“Stick to the plan you had set up. I wouldn’t deviate from it. I wouldn’t have any knee-jerk reactions to what’s going on in the market right now,” Stopera said. “Continue to use money wisely and not overreact one way or the other.”

As Brown pieces together the doll house and what the next few years look like, she’s remaining positive.

“I’m going to extend myself a number of years more so I can get the most benefit,” Brown said. “Just try to take good care of myself so by the time I retire, I’ll be able to enjoy my retirement.”