Whether you are 30, 40 or 60 you should make sure that a major focus of your financial life is on your retirement.  Everyone has to retire at some point, right? That’s why it is smart to get yourself prepared for it. Even if you are nearing retirement age and are trying to play catch up, it’s not too late. Too many people feel overwhelmed and hopeless about savings once they hit a certain age, but I promise you, it’s never too late to start saving!  

Regardless of your age, these tips for saving for retirement can help you:

• Take advantage of company match.  If your employee offers a company match program, you need to take advantage of it!  That is free money, my friends, utilize it!
• Budget before retirement.  Be sure to live frugally and take advantage of budgeting throughout your life so as to not waste all of the money that you earn during your lifetime.  This frees up more money to invest for your retirement.
• Do not cash out or take loans against your retirement.   The taxes, fees and penalties are extensive and make it not worth it.
• Don’t max out your credit cards and/or home equity.  Having fewer bills to pay makes everyday living much easier.  Make sure that you don’t have to struggle to pay your payments each month with your retirement income.

These are all very basic retirement tips as I don’t claim to be an investment banker. I think that much of your retirement plan can come from preparing wisely and living below your means.  We always preach these things to live financially well at all stages of your life, retirement is no different.

Are you prepared for retirement?  What have you found to be easy tips for saving enough to get there?