The other half of retirement planning
Retirement planning and saving is a popular topic in the U.S. A quick sample of investment magazines yields at least a dozen titles that feature leading articles about retirement planning. This makes sense, as fewer retirees will have a dependable defined-benefit pension or adequate Social Security payments. No matter where you look, the advice is usually the same (and fairly simple): save a lot, keep spending low, and diversify your investments. There is one part of the equation that always seems to be missing, however: investing in your health.
By this I don’t mean buying healthcare-focused funds. I mean investing in your health. Exercise, eat well, and take the steps necessary to ensure that your retirement is healthy as well as wealthy.
It’s easy to put off worrying about your health when you’re young and generally in good shape. But study after study shows that people who actively manage their health when they’re 30 are far more likely to stay healthy into their 60s (and beyond). Good habits now–eating well, exercising, moderate alcohol intake–are much easier to maintain than mid-life-crisis change.
A healthy retirement means you’ll enjoy your post-work decades more. It also helps to preserve your hard-earned savings by avoiding health care costs. You’ll also live longer, allowing you to spoil your grandchildren, travel the world, or accomplish all those goals that were incompatible with a working lifestyle.
If you have a 401(k) or a Roth IRA, you’re half way there. Now you need to invest a little time, a little money, and a little willpower in your health. Keep that hearth healthy, eat right, and do a little preventative maintenance on your body. Your future self will thank you.
Filed under Uncategorized : Comments (0) : Sep 23rd, 2006 by tadfad
