Most of us work to live.  We don’t live to work.  Even if you’re one of the lucky few who love your job, you’re probably going to want to retire at some point in the future.

But the economic realities of modern life have made the prospect of retirement difficult for many people.

The best thing a person can do to prepare for this time in life is to plan ahead; and save money.

Here are some useful tips that will show you how to plan for your retirement.

Create a Retirement Strategy

The purpose of a retirement strategy is to help you (and your family) determine the best way to save money over time.  People who use a retirement strategy will be able to determine the best way to not only save money, but grow money.  Creating a strategy will help you to set goals and hold yourself accountable. 

Build up your Income

There are only two basic ways a person can increase their income over time.  The first involves saving money or increasing the amount of money that is earned over time. The second is spending less money.  Because saving money is necessary for retirement, it is strongly encouraged to start saving money early in life.  Try setting aside 5% of your paycheck as an exercise to get you into the savings mindset.

Grow your Income

In order to best position yourself for retirement, you’re going to want to place your income in financial vehicles that are designed for retirement, such as pensions, 401k plans, and IRAs.

It is also wise to consider investing money into other long- term, conservative ventures that will earn money consistently over time.  Assets such as stocks, bonds, and certificates of deposits (CDs) are alternate sources of pre-retirement investments. 

Cut Back on Living Expenses

Parents should start to decrease their living expenses once their children leave home.  Learning to cut back on living expenses now will help you save for the future.   Get into these responsible habits early, and you will best position yourself for a comfortable future in retirement.