January 22, 2013
8:47 a.m.

Subject: Retirement Readiness Now

Take the Time to Secure Your Future

Have you made resolutions to improve your health and/or finances in 2013? One of the reasons New Year's resolutions fail is people say they can't make room in their busy lives for daily exercise, preparing nutritious meals, developing a budget, balancing a checkbook, and other necessary activities. However, in most cases, time is exactly what is needed to successfully reach your goals.

Sometimes, expert recommendations regarding recommended time commitments can sound intimidating. People hear that they need to exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day and automatically say "I'm too busy." Fitness experts say, however, that you can accumulate those minutes throughout the day. Gradual progress in 10 to 15 minute "chunks" of time can help you big improvements your health and wealth.

For additional information about small daily steps that you can take to improve your health and finances, visit Rutgers University’s Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ Web site.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Take the time!

Retirement Readiness NOW is not just about saving money and not just something you do just before retiring. Money is very important, but that’s not all. There’s a lot more to planning for your future than putting aside income out of each paycheck for retirement.

What else is there? Happiness, both today and in your future years, is based on your total well-being. So, when planning for your future, you also need to consider your total retirement well-being that encompasses the following:

Networking - What are you doing today that will allow you to be engaged, challenged and fulfilled in retirement?

Overall Health - What are you doing to stay healthy so that you can enjoy your retirement years?

Wealth - How well are you managing your income and investing for your future so that you will be able to support your desired lifestyle in retirement?