Don’t Be Happy With Average When It Comes To Retirement

I read an article last week from the Wall Street Journal that said three quarters of Americans nearing retirement had less than $27,000 in their retirement accounts, and one third of those have no sort of retirement account at all. One of my first thoughts after reading this was, “Wow, I must be doing pretty well with my retirement! ”

On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t be so proud to be ahead of the pack when the pack is doing so poorly. It’s kind of like winning a weightlifting competetion against kindgergarteners. It really means little looking at how well prepared we are compared with the majority. If you don’t prepare for your own retirement needs, all the statistics in the world won’t matter. You can’t be happy with average when it comes to retirement.

But How Much Do I Really Need For Retirement?

Isn’t that the million dollar question? From experience with my own family, I can tell you that you can get by on very little, but you will probably have to live in a very low cost of living area. Plan on not traveling or having many hobby expenses, and I really hope you like to cook your own meals. Don’t plan on leaving anything behind for the kids or grandkids either.

You can count on Medicare and Medicaid, maybe, to take care of your basic health needs. If you need a hearing aid, glasses, dental work, or medicines not covered by your plan, you just might be out of luck. Possibly a charity for low income persons might be able to help you out, but be prepared to explain your whole financial picture and why you chose to spend x amount on what you spent it on.

When your relatives do come to visit, don’t feel bad that they have to pay for their own food or feel the need to stay in a hotel because your accommodations are pretty small and in a bad part of town. They will still love you even if you can’t take the grandkids out for ice cream or to the movies. Also, don’t feel bad if you eventually have to move in with them when you can’t take care of yourself. You raised them didn’t you? It’s the least they can do.

If you would rather spend your money now instead of saving it for retirement, this is an honest picture of how your golden years will likely be spent. I’m not saying it’s wrong or bad, but is this really how you hoped to spent retirement?

How I Plan To Spend Retirement

While we still have at least a decade before we hang up our day jobs for good, Jim and I have pretty much decided we want to move somewhere warmer and closer to a metropolitan area with a major airport. We would like to take one or two big trips a year. We want to be able to eat lunch out (with the senior discount, of course!), be able to participate in activities we enjoy, and not feel guilty if we want to buy a new pair of shoes or go to a movie or concert (Rolling Stones Centenarian Tour anyone?). We want to be able to afford dental care instead of just having our teeth pulled if something goes wrong. You can live on soft food, but there are lots of crunchy things I like to eat.

We also hope to be able to help our daughter if its seem appropriate in the form of paying for part of her education or helping her with a down payment on a home. If we are lucky enough to have grandchildren, we’d like to spoil them a little bit or take them on trips. If it works out that one or both of us need to live with our daughter as we get older, and that works for her, great. However, I never want her to feel she has to take us on because there are no Medicaid beds available and we’re about to be out in the street.

How Do I Know How Much To Save?

Well, you really don’t. If you are aware of your cost of living expenses, though, you can get a pretty good estimate. Plan that health care expenses will go up. Housing and transportation costs should go down after you pay off a mortgage or quit commuting to work. Hopefully you will be in a lower tax bracket after you working years are over. In our case, we added up what our monthly expenses will be minus the mortgage and put in a bit more for travel and the unexpected. Do we have to leave an inheritance or buy the grandkids stuff they don’t need? No, but we hope to be able to do that, and we have a PLAN in place to get us there.

The Numbers Are Too Scary

What if you put your numbers into a fancy retirement calculator and the amount of savings is so much that you’d have to consist on Saltines and water for 30 years to hit your goals? Don’t panic. Tonya at Budget and the Beach had a great perspective about this very topic last week.

I think calculators are fun, but count more on your expected expenses. You can always move somewhere cheaper and downsize on housing if you need to. You can also start taking care of yourself so that you have a great shot at being healthy. Most importantly, start living below your means and get your high interest debt paid off. Start saving, even if it’s only a tiny amount. Letting fear of not having enough stop you from doing anything is the worst plan ever.

Don’t Look at Averages

If the average American is screwed as far as a comfy retirement, it’s sad, but not your fate. Don’t be tricked into thinking you’re doing great because you’re better than average. Decide what you want. Make a realistic plan for getting there, and most of all, be extraordinary instead of average when it comes to retirement.

Have you thought about how you want to spend retirement? Dentures, implants or just pull out the bad teeth?

Image: Freedigitalphotos.net/Artur

Written By

Sydney White

Sydney White is a Texas-born stay at home mom who enjoys spending time with her family, bargain hunting and, hiking.