Starting Today: The decisions you make today will affect the rest of your life, Your secure financial future hangs in the balance

The subject of my book is something that I am very passionate about, mostly because of my own failure in following what it suggests we all should do. This is one of the biggest regrets in my life! Also I am very afraid that as a country we are heading toward another financial crisis that may be even worse than the last, as a result of too much debt, both personal and as a country, along with not nearly enough savings.
My hope in writing this book is to inspire and encourage everyone, but especially the young to start saving and investing for their future today! Please do not make the same mistakes I have made.

About 10 years ago I realized I was getting up in age and really had not given much thought to how I was going to get by financially in retirement. Basically all my life I had just been living day to day, dealing with life’s issues as they came along. I would spend money on the usual necessities of life but I would also spend money on unnecessary things, which at the time I suppose I must have thought I really needed. When I think back now I really have no idea where a lot of the money I earned went to, which is sad. I have been very blessed in my life to have had pretty good paying jobs most of my life, I’m not saying that I was rolling in money but most of my life I felt pretty comfortable financially. Looking back now though it sickens me to think of how much better prepared I would be for my retirement if I had only put some of that money away, especially if I had started saving from an early age.

I have also realized that I am not the only person that is in this position. Statistics show that as a country the U.S. lags far behind many other countries when it comes to personal savings. The average U.S. personal saving rate (as a percentage of income) over the last few years has hovered around 5% and for millennials (age 35 and below) it is even worse at -1.8%, which means they are spending more than they bring in!

As a result today there are many people who are nearing retirement who just are not prepared financially and will struggle in their old age. I believe strongly that much more needs to be done in our school systems when it comes to financial education, to educate our young about the advantages of saving for their future from an early age and to promote financial discipline along with proper debt management. I worry for all those who will needlessly suffer in their old age and be forced to work just to afford the basic necessities of life. I believe that almost everyone can save a little money every month, no matter how small over your lifetime it will add up and you will be in far better shape than if you never saved at all. So please plan ahead, hopefully while you are still young and not make the same mistakes I and many others in this country have made. I worry that the outlook for many in their old age will be grim. Please make a plan for your financial future starting today.