My husband and I have always been goal oriented people. Within a year of dating, we knew we wanted to get married and started planning the ‘where, when and how’ of making it happen. We both wanted to have our children while we were still young so we set a goal of 2 children before I turned 30. We bought our first house with the understanding that it was a 5 year ownership before we upsized to something in a better school district. And we have a very firm retirement security plan because our goal is to retire by the time my husband is 58 (in 15 more years). In order for us to ensure that we have enough money to retire at our target age, retirement security HAS to be a huge priority when setting our financial goals every year. I am a firm believer in having a plan for every stage of life…flying by the seat of my pants is just not in my nature. Without financial goals to help us ensure retirement security, we could be working until we are 70 and that is just not appealing to me in the least! If you would like to set a few financial goals so that YOU can retire with a little bit of a nest egg, here are a few simple tips:
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Setting Financial Goals to ensure Retirement Security
1. Think of your financial goals as a vacation destination. In order to know how to GET to your vacation destination you first need to know WHERE that destination is. You wouldn’t decided to drive to Hawaii. Nor can you reach your financial goal without first defining that goal in detail.
2. You must prioritize your spending. If retirement security is important to you then you need to make funding that retirement a priority. That means maybe you need to start eating out less, buying fewer shoes, or downgrading your cell phone plan. Fund your retirement account FIRST, then spend the leftover money in other areas.
3. Remember that this is a long term process! Do not set your financial goals for retirement security only to forget about them next week. They must remain a high priority if you are going to retire with financial security.
4. Your goals will change: While it is important to keep your goals in mind, remember that they may change based on your life situations. The arrival of an unexpected child or you deciding to go back to school will throw off your plan. Be flexible.
5. Educate yourself: It is difficult to understand the ins and outs of financial planning. There are so many ways to save and so many funds to invest in that it can be overwhelming. Start educating yourself about financial planning and retirement security so that you make smart choices along the way.
Most working Americans HAVE the time, financial resources and courage to retire happy. Don’t Worry, Retire Happy! Seven Steps to Retirement can help you achieve your financial goals for retirement security. The Don’t Worry, Retire Happy™ program on public television is based on the book written by Tom Hegna. This program will help provide peace of mind about retirement rather than anxiety. It includes concepts like “Paychecks and Playchecks: Retirement Solutions for Life” and “Retirement Income Masters: Secrets of the Pros.” It also takes into account that not all people looking for retirement security are middle aged married couples with 2.5 children. There are chapters in the book for single women, late bloomers and non traditional families. It also includes information about social security and how to claim it.
Watch the Don’t Worry, Retire Happy trailer to learn more about this program. YOU can define your retirement and it can look however you want it to with the right planning! Learn how to reach those financial goals by watching the Don’t Worry, Retire Happy! TV special on Public Television. You can find your local station at http://www.pbs.org
Public Television viewers can also pledge a donation and receive copy of the DVD or the book/DVD combo.
Go to the Don’t Worry, Retire Happy with Tom Hegna donation page.
This blog post on “Don’t Worry, Retire Happy™”: The 7 Steps to Retirement Security”, is sponsored by State Farm®. I accepted the opportunity to participate and want my readers to know that the opinions and statements expressed in this post are completely my own.
Diane has a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology with a Minor in Health Management and Policy. She spent many years working in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging as a way to share this knowledge with others. While passionate about health and the environment she can’t quite give up her favorite Cheetos and Diet Coke!
