7 Reasons Americans Can’t Save for Retirement

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I read an article on why more Americans are coming to the conclusion that they will need to continue working until they die.  The article, "7 Reasons Americans Can't Save for Retirement" is written by Emily Brandon from USNews & World Report in 2011, and looking at it from today's perspective, we can see that it was an accurate prognostication of the future for so many of us.

The article outlines how "Living beyond our means, Little employer help, Not saving automatically, Too much debt, Savings isn’t a priority, No emergency fund, and Spending our windfalls instead of saving them" has become the norm for today's Americans.  They nailed me, 6 out of 7 are accurate for me three years after the article.  I truly believe that I can have my cake and eat it too!  I should be able to afford a comfortable, meager lifestyle and not go into debt doing it.  The reality is, we end up Living Beyond our Means in the sense that we always end up having to choose 'who to pay late.'   As there are always bills hanging over our head, Savings is Not a Priority because all our money goes to paying bills and we never seem to get caught up.  I know the importance of having an Emergency Fund but I'm never able keep one filled up.  When we get Windfall Income, it gets spent immediately.  We do have a savings account with automatic deposit, but we inevitably use the money to pay a bill that is critically late.  I am lucky to have my dream job, and it happens to be with a large company that treats my family an I to excellent benefits.  Even though we were nailed by this article, I still wouldn't have it any other way!  I am looking forward to working for the rest of my life.

Join me in taking an Early Working Retirement and developing a personal lifestyle that accepts our eventual fate.  I know I'll be working for the rest of my life, and I don't have any fictional number of years left working.  I am spending my time enjoying what I have. Enjoying spending time with my family, enjoying every meal I eat and every day I 'work.'    It is okay to live hand to mouth, as long as we can enjoy every minute of it!

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